RuroKen and the Chamber of Secrets
by Chosha Kurenai
Summary: Kenshin is returning for his second year at Hogwarts, but there's another mystery begining...students are attacked and why does he get the feeling he's next!
1. Chapter 1

**RuroKen and the Chamber of secrets **

**Chosha's notes**

_Waaaaaay! RKatCoS is finally here! Thank you everyone who read RKatPS, but if you haven't, go read it, cause this follows on! but anyway, the moment you all have been waiting for - let's get the show on the road!_

Disclaimer: I own neither RK or HP, they belong to Watsuki-sama and JK Rowling-sama.

**Chapter One **

**Owl in the Mountains**

The streets of Kyoto were bustling with people in the July sun, enjoying the warm weather they had been experiencing of late. The towering buildings reached up to the skies and shops were all open, selling everything from the latest game console to designer clothing. Just your average day for many people in Japan. It was not a place you would expect anything as extraordinary as magic would be hiding… and you would be right. Despite the amazing technology the Japanese had come up with, There was very little – if any – magic to be found in this city. The real kind, anyway.

Almost overshadowing Kyoto was a large mountain, covered in forest; it looked almost like it was of another world. Birds and animals of all kinds could be seen between the trees and, unlike the urban centre of Kyoto, nothing was rushed or in a hurry. Life was serene, calming, almost enchanting, especially when the sun pierced through the canopy of leaves, scattering beams of light over the ground. Passed the forest was a river, which flowed down the mountain with a cheerful, gurgling sound, harmonising with sweet bird song. It was almost a shame that the ordinary people in Kyoto didn't have the time to just stand and appreciate nature at work. No one, that is, but one lone child.

Twelve-year old Himura Kenshin walked into the sunlight, shielding his eyes from the bright sun. His eyes were one of the startling things about this boy. Even though he was obviously of Japanese decent, his eyes weren't dark in colour, but an intense amethyst that seemed to look into your very soul. But even more startling about his appearance was his hair, which was a startling ruby-red that appeared almost golden-tinted as the sun's rays graced him. He was dressed in a white training gi and pale blue hakama, which masked his slim form in loose cloth. Though he was twelve, Kenshin bore the appearance of someone much younger, perhaps even a ten year old with his youthful features, despite his body having the form of a more toned, older child. Most would say Kenshin had all the luck. By the time he was twenty-eight, he would probably look no older than sixteen. Kenshin would say that it was just one more thing for his Shishou to tease him about. In one hand, Kenshin held a thick, leather-bound book, in the other, a slim form of a sheathed Japanese sword – not something you would expect a normal twelve-year-old to be carrying. But then again, Himura Kenshin wasn't what you would call a _normal _twelve-year-old.

Kenshin smiled a little as he placed the book and Katana down by a tree and stretched in the warmth like a cat. He enjoyed this type of weather. Somehow, his spirits always seemed to be higher when the sun was out. It wasn't swelteringly hot either, which made it perfect weather for what he had come out here to do.

The boy picked up his sword and slid it into his obi, before drawing the blade expertly. The odd thing about this sword was that the blade was on backwards. Where, on the normal Katana, the sharp edge was on the curved side, the dull edge opposite to it, this blade had the dull edge on the cutting side and the sharp edge on the other. A reverse-blade sword, it was called, a sakabato, designed to go against the nature of a weapon. It was designed not to kill, but to protect others.

Kenshin didn't look at the blade for long as he closed his eyes and breathed in and out slowly to centre himself. Without warning, Kenshin dropped into stance and began the dance of death – the kata of the most lethal kenjutsu style known as the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu.

For his small size and innocent features, one would never have guessed that he would be any good at swordsmanship, but anyone who knew him well knew better. Kenshin could fly higher, move swifter and be so much more accurate than even some master kendo teachers – even more so now he had spent the time he had since he returned from his boarding-school training with his master in the secluded mountains again. In fact, the only person who could best him was his shishou – though his shishou was determined never to tell him that.

It took around an hour for Kenshin to complete his kata and he slid the sakabato in one swift movement back into the saya. Brushing his bangs from his face and pushing his long fox-like ponytail off his shoulder, Kenshin threw himself down unceremoniously by the tree to cool off in the shade, placed down his sakabato down next to him respectfully and picked up the large book from the grass.

This was the strangest thing about Himura Kenshin. It wasn't that he learned Kenjutsu of his hermit-like master in the mountains, or the colour of his hair or eyes. The strangest thing was what he was studying now. The book's contents wasn't written on paper, but parchment and written on the parchment, in English, rather than his native language, with a little Latin, were incantations, charms and spells. Himura Kenshin wasn't a normal boy – Himura Kenshin was a wizard.

Kenshin read over the spells in the book with a small frown. He had been given some homework from his teachers back at the large boarding school for witches and wizards, located somewhere in London (or at least, you got there from London) called Hogwarts. Most of it he had done – now all he had to do was finish reading up on charms and he would be finished. At least, normally he would be. Kenshin sweat-dropped. His master, or course, would insist he check it over and re-read everything. Honestly, he could be such a perfectionist at times.

It was as he was reading this that something fell out of the air on top of him – literally. A grey thing shot down in front of his eyes and collided with his book, causing Kenshin to yelp in surprise.

"Oro!"

On his lap was what Kenshin first assumed was some type of feather duster, except that having a feather duster fall on you in the middle of a deserted mountain was an insane thought. But when Kenshin took a closer look, he found it wasn't a feather duster at all, but a rather old, moulting grey owl. Kenshin prodded it with a finger and sweat-dropped, as it didn't move. _A half _dead _moulting grey owl…_

At least it was still alive…sort of.

Carefully, Kenshin picked it up and carried it to the stream, holding it so it had its beak facing the water. That seemed to revive it as it immediately began to gulp at the water with gusto. Kenshin propped up the bird on the riverbank so it could reach at the water, but wouldn't fall in and drown.

_Why would an owl like this be all the way out here?_ He thought idly as he looked it over. There were many types of birds on the mountain, but owls were not very common at all. In fact, the only owl that Kenshin knew of in the six years he had lived there was one rather special barn-owl, which belonged to him. Mika, as he had dubbed her on the day she was bought for him one year ago, was a postal owl, which all wizards used for communication.

That was when he noticed it. Around the owl's leg, almost hidden beneath moulting grey feathers was a small roll of parchment. Kenshin stared at it for a moment, then grinned as he realised what it was. Only one type of person he knew would send him a letter written on parchment and delivered by owl and that was another wizard.

Carefully, he relieved the bird of its burden (though it didn't seem to notice – it had fallen asleep) and unfolded it, wondering who it could be from. He soon found his answer as he looked down at the scrawl written only just legibly and recognised it immediately. It was from Ron Weasley, one of the first friends Kenshin had made in the wizarding world.

_Hey mate,_ (it said)

_Long time no see._ _How are you and how are things in Japan? Hey, it's like having a pen pal. I hope this gets to you okay. Errol is the family owl, he's ancient and it wouldn't be the first time he collapsed on a delivery-_

Kenshin raised an eyebrow as he looked down at what looked like a snoring, old feather duster on the ground next to him. Really - No kidding!

_-I tried to borrow Percy's owl, Hermes, but Percy was being mean, as usual. Says he needs him. I swear he's acting weird lately. He's been sending loads of letters and he's shutting himself in his room a lot. I mean, there's only so many times you can polish a prefects badge!_

_Anyway, things have been pretty good here other than that. Hey, you remember when I offered to ask you all over to stay at my place? Well, Mom and Dad say it's all right. In fact, mom was practically begging to have you come over – I dunno what you did, but she adores you already!_

Kenshin blushed at that. All he did was thank Mrs Weasley for the homemade jumper and Fudge she had made him for Christmas last year.

_Dad also says that your Master can come too. Says he wouldn't want you to lose your practice time, but I think he just wants to bombard him with questions about Muggle-stuff. He's mad on anything Muggle made-_

Yes, unlike Kenshin, his shishou, Hiko Seijuro, master of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, was a Muggle (a non-magic person), but he was also a hermit by nature (why else would Kenshin be living on the mountain side several miles away from civilisation?) He had to wonder how Hiko would react to that.

-_I think he might get a shock when he sees him though. He's huge! Anyway, If he doesn't mind, or if he lets you come, send an owl back and we'll sort out the rest!_

_Hope to hear from you soon, Mate!_

_Ron_

Kenshin picked up the book and his Sakabato, tucking them under his arm, the sword into his obi, before picking up the owl doubtfully. He didn't think Errol would survive the return trip. It would be better if he got Mika to deliver his answer. She had plenty of advantages – she was younger, strong, fast and was well used to long distance flights. Plus she didn't look as if she would drop dead at a moment's notice. Carefully carrying the poor creature, Kenshin set out at a jog to find his shishou.

It wasn't long before Kenshin came upon a clearing in the woodland. In the centre of the clearing was a rather old, but sturdy, shack-like hut, which Kenshin shared with his hermit-like master. Outside was a long, overturned log which was, more often than not, used as a sort of bench, that lay close to the remnants of last night's fire. Kenshin noticed smoke coming from a smaller part attached to the hut. It looked as if Hiko was doing the job that actually got them any money – making pottery. The pottery made by Hiko Seijuro was quite famous in Kyoto and surrounding towns and was worth quite a lot of money. Sometimes Kenshin wondered how his stuff could be worth so much. But, then again, if it weren't, they probably would have starved long ago, the amount Hiko spent on sake.

Carefully, Kenshin slipped off his Zori-like sandals and slid open the fushuma, stepping inside. The hut consisted of one main room, a room they used for storing things mostly concerned with Kenjutsu and the opening of Hiko's small kiln. In the corner of the main room were two folded futons and blankets, while a large fireplace sat opposite, unlit at the moment. Also inside, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor was the largest Asian you had ever seen. Almost seven foot tall in height when standing up, he towered over Kenshin's four foot seven, making Kenshin feel tiny most of the time, though Hiko would always say it was his fault for being so small. He was wearing Gi and Hakama and, across his broad shoulders was an elaborate white cloak that Kenshin had never seen him without. Thick, jet-black hair was tied back into a low ponytail, though some of it framed his face. Though the man must be close to forty, he still held the face and form of a twenty-five year old. Lying by him, well within arms reach was his katana, though his hands worked on clay. Kenshin watched with mild interest as his hands turned it from a wet blob into the form of an elegant piece of art.

As Kenshin slid the fushuma closed behind him, his master glanced up from what he was doing. He glanced at Kenshin, at the bundle of feathers in his arms, then back at Kenshin again. His face fell into its customary smirk.

"What did we say about bringing back stray animals, Baka Deshi?"

Kenshin sighed. Still, after all this time, Hiko still called him his idiot apprentice, even though Kenshin had proved he was nothing of the sort. He still called him it, though, said the name had stuck.

"It's not a stray, Shishou," Kenshin pointed out. "It's a postal owl from my friend Ron from Hogwarts"

Hiko gave it a hard look. "Funny looking owl. Thing looks half dead."

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelped, though secretly he agreed. Errol couldn't take much more of this. Of course, he wasn't going to give Hiko an excuse to blow out of proportion his already blown own of proportioned ego.

"So, seeing as your friend's owl is here and not in England, I'm guessing you had a letter. And seeing as you didn't come back just to interrupt me so you could show me how much it looks like a mouldy feather duster (though I wouldn't put it passed you), I'm guessing you have something in that letter you want to tell me."

Sometimes Kenshin really had to wonder whether the guy really was a Muggle or not. Really, sometimes he was so apt at reading him it bordered on scary.

Kenshin passed the letter to Hiko, who wiped his hands of clay, took it and read it speedily (after all, it as Hiko who taught Kenshin English in the first place) while Kenshin waited for the verdict…and waited…and waited…

"Well Shishou?" Asked Kenshin, impatience finally getting the better of him.

"Well what, Baka Deshi?"

Kenshin gritted his teeth, but tried to sound pleasant. "Can I go then?"

Hiko rubbed his chin as if thinking. Kami, that man could drive the most patient of people up the wall!

"Well, we will need to get to London at some point and, since it takes you weeks to get over Jet-lag, It might do you some good, otherwise you'd fall asleep during your lessons." Kenshin almost whooped, until he saw Hiko's smirk and that glint in his eyes. _Uh oh…_ "Of course, that will mean I will have to come with you to make sure you aren't slacking off like you did last year."

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelped indignantly. _Slacking off!_ Sure, so fighting off mountain trolls, and people possessed by one of the most dark wizards of all time wasn't training at all… Still, Hiko had said he could go! He had never gone to a wizard's house before. The Weasleys were purebloods – everyone in the family was magic. He was sure the whole place would be filled with magic.

"I hope you weren't going to send a reply with that," Hiko said, pointing at Errol, "Or they'll never get it"

"Iie, I was going to send Mika when she gets back from hunting."

Hiko smirked. "Guess you aren't that stupid after all, Baka deshi."

Kenshin chose to ignore that. Instead, he made his way to the storeroom and opened a large trunk that sat in one corner, which was almost half the size of Kenshin. Written on it, in typical western fashion was the name 'Kenshin Himura' in fancy gold lettering. Throwing open the lid, he began to sort through the jumble of leather bound books and school uniform (Jet-black robes with the crest for Gryffindor, the house Kenshin was in at Hogwarts – a Golden, rampant lion on a red background.) to find a quill, ink and parchment to write his reply. Flattening out the roll, he arranged himself in a more comfortable position on the floor, dipped his quill into the ink and began to write.

_Dear Ron,_

_Things have been fine here – when Hiko isn't pestering me too much to spar. I think he thinks beating me to jelly will help. Perhaps it will – at least I'll know to get out the way of the attack. Its good to hear from you, I haven't heard much about what's going on in the magic world. Have you heard from the others? Sanosuke and Kaoru sent a letter – she had to borrow Mr Sagara's owl._

_Thank you for the invitation to your house. I asked Hiko if he didn't mind me coming. He said yes, but he would like to come too, to make sure I don't get rusty. I hope it's not a bother._

"What are you doing, Baka Deshi, writing an essay?" Kenshin heard from the other room. "Your owl's back."

"Hai Shishou. I'll be there in a minute"

_Speak of the devil, He just yelled me to tell me Mika has come back from hunting. I'm sending this with her; your owl seems like he might not make a return flight. Don't worry though, I'll keep my eye on him to make sure he recovers._

_Hope to see you soon,_

Kenshin 

Kenshin got up, blowing on the ink to make sure it had dried, before folding it and making his way out of the storeroom to find Mika sitting on top of her cage. It was a beautiful thing with silky feathers of snow white and faun brown with dark eyes that had a spark of intelligence common in only wizard owls. She hooted softly in greeting as Kenshin held out his arm to her and she glided with utter grace to perch there. Kenshin smiled and stroked the owl's feathers, attaching the letter to the ring on her leg.

"Would you take this to Ron, Mika-chan?" He asked softly. Mika nuzzled his hand and nipped his finger affectionately before Kenshin carried her to the door. Sliding open the fushuma, the sunlight flooded into the room, bathing them in golden beams. Kenshin stroked Mika with a finger before she launched herself from his arm on silent wings. She circled once before flying off into the sky, her form growing smaller and smaller as she followed the path of the afternoon sun.

TBC

Chosha's notes:

What do you think? you like? you don't? Reviews please!

Next time on RKatCoS

Kenshin's off to England, but hows he gonna get there? whats the Universal Floo Network? and Why does he have a bad feeling about this? next episode: The Green Flames

Ja ne for now! see you next time!

Chosha Kurenai xXx


	2. Chapter 2

Chosha's notes

_Konnichiwa! I'm baaaaaack! And just for you, here is the next installment of RKatCoS! I just wanna say that I'm soooooo happy i got so many reviews for the first chapter! So, I won't keep you waiting. Go forth and read!_

Disclaimer: We all know Cosha-chan owns no rights to this. So, must we keep stating the obvious?

Last time on RKatCoS

Kenshin recieved a letter (by half dead owl) to go to England for the rest of the summer. He's sent off the reply, but Hiko is going to. Oro!

Chapter Two

The Green Flames

It had been around a week since Mika had left the hut in the mountains to take Kenshin's reply to Ron. Kenshin sat on the log outside the cabin, feeding the grey owl, Errol, who had recovered somewhat since his arrival. Of course, Hiko hadn't been much help ("he's your friend's owl, not mine"), so along with his training, he also had a sick owl to look after – one that looked as if it might keel over, or get eaten or something if he didn't. At least Mika knew how to fend for herself – Sheesh!

Kenshin watched the grey owl as it pecked at the food the boy held in his cupped hands. The weather had grown warmer of late until it was almost too hot to move – definitely too hot to stay indoors. It was murder to try kata in. Thankfully, Kenshin had trained with his shishou earlier on in the day before the sun had reached its peak. (Though Kenshin wouldn't put it passed him if he made Kenshin spar in the sweltering heat, just to annoy him). Suddenly, a shadow passed over head.

Kenshin blinked in surprise and looked up into the sky, wondering if it was some type of cloud that had passed over, but the sky was perfectly, azure-blue clear – not even a wisp of cloud in sight. So when something landed on his shoulder, he almost jumped a mile, sending bird food all over the place. His head whipped around.

"Mika!" He gasped, putting a hand to his chest where his heart was beating a million miles an hour. "Don't do that! You almost made me have a heart attack, de gozaru yo!"

The barn owl just hooted smugly and Kenshin looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. He was sure Hiko was teaching her to act like him when he wasn't looking. Kami, he didn't need two Hikos! One was bad enough!

However, Kenshin spotted the letter attached to her leg. Carefully, Kenshin took the letter from her, feeding her an owl treat in return. Mika flitted onto his knee, where she looked down disdainfully at the moulting grey owl at his feet. Kenshin ignored them for the moment and turned to the letter in his hands, unrolling it. As he suspected, it was a reply from Ron.

_Kenshin,_

_That's brilliant! Mom and Dad'll be happy. They can't wait to see you both. Dad's made some arrangements at the ministry – he works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office – figures, huh? He says he's got your place hooked up to the Universal floo-network, so you can get to our house. We'll be coming to fetch you and Master Hiko at around ten o'clock – it will be around Midnight in Japan from what Hermione told me – on the fifteenth. Just remember to have your fire lit._

Kenshin blinked at the letter. The Universal Floo-network? What on earth was that? Perhaps Hiko would know. After all, last year, when Kenshin was reading up on the books he had been asked to purchase from the Wizard community of Diagon Alley in London, Hiko had been gathering information on the wizarding world. Knowing Hiko, he would have found out about methods of travel after they had taken a Portkey – a teleporter that looks like a piece of rubbish so unsuspecting Muggles wouldn't use it – last year. He'd ask afterwards. He went back to reading the letter.

_We'll be seeing you soon, so I'll fill you in on what's been happening over here._

_Ron_

Kenshin looked up as Hiko emerged from the hut, holding a large bottle of Sake in one hand, his cloak settled on his shoulders. Kenshin idly wondered if he was hot in it. He looked over at Kenshin and nodded. "I see that bird of yours has come back. What's that friend of yours say?"

Kenshin passed the letter and he scanned it. Smirking, he passed it back. "Don't give much warning, your kind, do they?" he stated, indicating the calendar stuck haphazardly near the door, which said July 15th. He took a swig from the sake. Kenshin jumped. They were coming tonight?

"What does he mean, universal floo-network?" asked Kenshin, "He asked us to have the fire on, for some reason."

"Well, either your friend is as stupid as you are, considering the weather, or it will be the same as when that Headmaster of yours showed up here."

Kenshin remembered Hiko telling him about that. It had been just after Kenshin found out he was a wizard. He told him that, the year before, he had got a letter from an Albus Dumbledore, telling him he had 'adopted' a magical child. Hiko hadn't believed him and sent a letter back asking for proof. Dumbledore had given him proof by turning the fire green and arriving through the fire itself. Of course, at the time this had happened, Hiko had made sure Kenshin was asleep by tricking him into drinking Sake. Kenshin was still a little sore about that.

"So you mean they're going to come through the fire?" he asked in amazement.

"That's what I said, or are you going deaf now as well," Hiko smirked.

Kenshin glared up at him, then said suspiciously, "You are going to behave, aren't you, Shishou?"

Hiko's smirk grew. "Well, If you don't keep up training, I might have to tell them about the time you wet the bed when you were eleven…"

"Shishou!"

o0o

Kenshin could hardly wait to see this show of magic that he was almost bouncing off walls for the rest of the day. But, as usual, when you can't wait for something amazing or spectacular to happen, time drags so much it isn't even funny. In the end, to try and get rid of that pent up energy, Hiko forced Kenshin to spar with him. This left Kenshin feeling as though he had burned all parts of skin that weren't covered in clothing or hair because of the sun and covered in sweat – not to mention several new bruises to add to the collection. At least Kenshin didn't have to wait long after that – he fell asleep for several hours.

When the time came, Hiko shook Kenshin awake – at least he didn't throw water on him this time, Kenshin thought idly. It was dark outside now and the temperature had dropped dramatically, so even if they didn't know the Weasleys would be coming by the 'Floo Network', it wouldn't have been as mad as they had thought to have the fire on. Unfortunately, Hiko didn't have a watch in the house, so could only estimate the time by the stars or the positioning of the sun, so Kenshin wasn't sure how long they would have to wait. He was almost dropping off when it happened.

Kenshin sat bolt upright as the fire flared brightly and grew bigger, turning emerald green. In fact, the fire blazed so high Kenshin was afraid it might grow out of control. Suddenly, Kenshin felt a flare of ki that he hadn't felt before and his hands twitched towards his sakabato, though he knew it wasn't likely to be a foe. Kenshin's eyes almost popped out of his head when a man stepped out of the fire completely unharmed by the flames.

He was a thin man, going bald, but obviously of western birth. What little hair he did have was a blazing ginger, exactly the same shade as Ron's. He was wearing long green robes, which looked rather travel worn. He dusted off his robes from soot and looked up at them to find Hiko's face oddly blank and Kenshin with his mouth wide open in awe.

"Ah, hello!" the man said in English. He glanced at Kenshin and smiled. "You must be Kenshin Himura. My son, Ron, has told me all about you. And you must be Kenshin's teacher, yes?" Hiko's eye twitched a little at that. No, Hiko was no teacher - he was a master. The man held out his hand. "I'm Arthur Weasley."

Hiko and Kenshin shook his hand. He gazed around the room, his eyes suddenly brightening in interest when his eyes landed on the lights – the only electricity that Hiko actually used for anything. "Oh, is that Ecklectric"

Kenshin thought he had heard him wrong, but from the look on Hiko's face that he was about to start laughing, Kenshin guessed not. Oh, he hoped Hiko would behave himself… "Do you mean… electric?" Kenshin asked hesitantly.

"That's the one!"

"O-oh, well…"

But Kenshin was saved from having to answer when the fire turned green again and, with another 'whooshing' sound; a boy stumbled through the fireplace. The boy, like his father, had bright ginger hair and was tall and gangling. His nose was long and he had freckles scattered over his nose and cheeks. He seemed to have grown even more since Kenshin had last seen him. Kenshin smiled. "Hi Ron"

Ron looked round, his eyes resting on Hiko for a moment in awe. Of course, there was only one other person either of them had ever met that rivalled Hiko in height and that was Hogwarts gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid (Known as Hagrid by his friends) who could have passed for a half-giant or something. Finally he looked over at Kenshin and grinned. "How's it going, mate"

"Is anyone else coming?" asked Kenshin, looking towards the fire.

"No. Fred and George are messing about in their rooms as usual, Percy locked himself up so far and Ginny'll be around somewhere at home I guess. I think she's helping Mom."

"Do you have your things, Kenshin," asked Mr Weasley.

"Yes, sir," Kenshin indicated his trunk and the owl that sat in its cage on top of it. "Oh and…" He fetched Errol, who blinked up at them. "As I said, here's you owl back." And handed him to Mr Weasley. He looked rather pleased to have the thing back.

"Well, I guess its time to get going." Mr Weasley said. "Unless there's anything you need to do Mr Hiko?"

Hiko shook his head. "No, my Apprentice and I sorted everything out that we need to do." Well, at least Hiko hadn't called him an idiot this time, Kenshin thought. Perhaps he was going to behave, if only for a little while.

Mr Weasley clapped his hands together happily and pulled a small bag out of his pocket. When he opened it, Kenshin saw strange, slivery coloured sand glistening in the light. He held it out to Kenshin, who stared at it cluelessly. "Ano… what do I… uh…"

Hiko hit his head with his hand and Ron seemed to remember that Kenshin was raised as a muggle, whether he was Muggle-born or not. Kenshin couldn't remember enough about his parents to know if the could have been witch and wizard. "Oh, sorry Kenshin. Dad, he's never travelled by Floo powder before."

"Oh. Never? But how did you get you things from Diagon Alley last year?"

"We got a Portkey and Hagrid took us through the streets as we were close to that invisible inn." Hiko stated.

Mr Weasleys eyes widened again when they spoke of muggle London, but before he began asking questions, Ron said, "You watch me, Kenshin and I can show you how it works, Kay?" He took a pinch of the sand from the bag and threw it onto the fire. With a roar, it burned emerald once more, rising higher than Ron. Ron stepped into the fire. "The Burrow" he shouted loudly and clearly. He vanished!

"Oro!" Kenshin gasped as he stared into the now normal fire.

"Now, you have to speak very clearly," Mr Weasley instructed. "Keep you elbows tucked in. It's best to close your eyes, as the soot might get in them. Try not to fidget, or panic, and you'll be fine."

Kenshin swallowed and nodded, taking a pinch of the sand in his hands and threw it into the fire. It jumped up once more. He hesitated, then walked into the fire. Never would he dream of doing something like this. It sort of reminded him of when he had faced Voldemort at the end of term last year. He had to run through a black fire to get to Voldemort to help Harry on the other side. However, this fire didn't feel like it would burn if it touched him. In fact, it felt a little like a warm breeze.

Kenshin glanced back at Mr Weasley. "Say, 'the Burrow'" he told him. Kenshin nodded.

"The Burrow!" he yelled. And everything vanished.

It felt like being sucked down a giant plughole. There was a roaring in his ears that made his ears feel like they were vibrating. He wanted to cover them, but he remembered what Mr Weasley had said and stayed put. At first, he attempted watching what it looked like, but the whirl of green flames as he was spinning round and round was making him feel queasy, so he screwed them up tight. Now, rather than warmth, it was like cold hands trying to grasp at him or slap his face. Kenshin squinted to see what looked like thousands and thousands of fireplaces scooting passed him. He felt as if he was slowing down a little then-

Bam! Kenshin hit the ground, but his knees gave way. He instinctively went into a defensive roll and landed on his feet several metres into somewhere he had never seen before. It looked like he had landed in a kitchen of some kind. It was a little cramped, as there was a scrubbed wooden table surrounded by chairs in the middle of the room – which Kenshin was lucky enough not to have collided into in his roll. There was a clock on a wall opposite, which seemed to have several hands and no numbers. The hands were engraved with the names of each family member. Around the edge were things like 'You're late' or 'Home' or 'at work' and, for some reason, 'Mortal peril'. Books were stacked on the mantelpiece behind him with titles like charm your own cheese, Enchantment in baking, and one-minute feasts – Its magic! Outside sun was shinning brightly through the windows. As second later, he heard a woman say, "Oh, I didn't expect you to come so soon. Here dear, lets clean you up a little bit."

Kenshin glanced up to see Mrs Weasley coming towards him. She was a rather plump woman, with a kind face that made you think the saying 'plump with love' might apply. She was wearing a flowery apron. Behind her was a girl about a year younger than Kenshin, with the same, flame-ginger coloured hair as Ron and the rest of his brothers.

Mrs Weasley lead Kenshin into the room a little more and pulled out a small brush from her apron pocket – where her wand also stuck out – and began to dust the soot from Kenshin's clothes. Kenshin blushed a little at the attention.

"Wow Kenshin! That was cool!"

Kenshin peered round Mrs Weasley to look at Ron, who was now sitting at the table. "That's the first time I've seen someone come out like that! It'd make a cool entrance."

Kenshin put a hand to his head. "Yeah, but now I feel dizzy, de gozaru…"

Ron laughed and helped him sit at the table. Just then, there was another whoosh and Hiko entered the room. Just as Kenshin thought, Hiko didn't even look as if he had turned a hair. Some people have all the luck. He was soon followed by Mr Weasley, who had brought Kenshin's trunk and Mika.

Mrs Weasley smiled. "You must be Mr Hiko?" she asked. "Welcome to the Burrow."

Hiko nodded. "Thank you. You must be Mrs Weasley."

"Molly, please," the woman smiled and Kenshin was sure he saw her blush. But then again, according to Hiko, this was fairly normal action towards him. Kenshin hoped it wouldn't go to his head.

Mrs Weasley soon began bustling about to get brunch ready for them. If felt strange to Kenshin. His mind knew he was in England at around ten o'clock, but his body still insisted it was night. Kami, he hated jet lag…

Thankfully, Ron kept him occupied by introducing Kenshin to Ginny, his little sister. Ginny, Kenshin found, was a rather likeable person, if not something of a chatterbox. Thankfully, what she had to say was quite interesting. She told him she was going to be going to Hogwarts this year – she had had her acceptance letter only a few days before, which Kenshin congratulated her on. Her Mother looked especially proud that all of her children had been accepted into Hogwarts.

"So, how have things been here?" Kenshin asked. "I'm afraid we don't get a wizard paper or anything – it'd take ages to find us anyway – so I really don't know what's been happening in the wizarding world."

"Well, nothing too drastic," Ron said as he began to cover his toast in jam. "I heard from most of the others though. Hermione seems to be all right – she's staying over summer with her parents. I think they might have gone on holiday somewhere for a week. She'll be back soon. Kaoru and Sanosuke sent a letter too, though it looked like they were fighting over who got to use the quill,"

Kenshin laughed at that, remembering his own letter from them. The letter continually switched from Kaoru's neat handwriting to Sanosuke's lazy scrawl, and often ended with a squiggle across the page where it had been snatched from the other's hand.

Ron frowned. "But, you know, I haven't heard from Harry at all. We've already sent loads of letters to see if he can stay, but he hasn't replied. Me an' the twins think its got something to do with those rotten Muggles he lives with. We thought it might be Errol, but even he doesn't mess up that much." Kenshin glanced at the grey owl, sitting on his perch by a window doubtfully. "Anyway, Mom and Dad are thinking about going round to their house if he doesn't give us an answer soon."

"I hope nothing bad happened…" Ginny said, a small blush tinting her cheeks.

It wasn't long before there was a thundering noise that came from the stairs and two identical boys appeared in the stairway. They were Ron's youngest older brothers about a year in front of them at Hogwarts, named Fred and George. They glanced at the table and their faces split into identical grins. Completed by mischievous glints in their eyes, they looked like identical, overgrown imps.

"Hello, Kenny!"

"Heard you were coming today"

"Shame we couldn't come. We were busy."

"Yes, very busy"

Kenshin still hadn't got used to the way they always seemed to finish of each other's sentences. It was impossible to think of one without the other. Hiko looked as if he wanted to rub his head. Kenshin still had to wonder why he came at all. Hiko hated people. Wouldn't be a hermit otherwise.

"Have you seen Percy at all?" Mrs Weasley asked.

"Nah. Haven't seen him since-"

"Fred! George! Where did you put my prefects badge!"

"Woops"

Kenshin, Ron and Ginny burst out laughing as they bolted from a furious Percy who stormed down the stairs after them yelling at them to come back. Kenshin could tell this was going to be one fun holiday.

TBC

Chosha's notes

Another chapter finished. what do you think? By the way, for those who like mt HP-type stories, but love action and violence, I've started a fic called Celestin. So, you could try that out, too.

Any Questions, queries or critisisms? Please review.

Next time on RKatCoS

Kenshin gets his taste of life at the burrow. One word. Chaos!

But, til' then...

Ja ne!

Chosha Kurenai xXx


	3. Chapter 3

**Chosha's Notes**

_Konnichiwa Minna! Once more, a big hello and welcome back to the RuroKen Potter universe. I'm sorry if updates have been a little slower on this than in RKatPS, but I do have reasons. One is the fact that I have Fading Futures (which I finally updated!) but I've also started an HP fic, 'Celestin' and a crossover of the game Golden Sun and Lord of the Rings, called 'Adepts of Middle Earth' that I've also got chapters to write. I also have exams coming up in June, so I have revision, too. I will, however, try to update as much as possible on them._

_Anyways, thank you all those who reviewed last time. I'm really surprised by the amount of reviews I've been getting for this story. Was it because RKatPS was a good story, so you've come to this one, I wonder. Doesn't matter, really, I'm just so please you like this one. I hope that I've made things begin to get interesting with this chapter… so, without further ado, here's chapter three!_

_Disclaimer: Ugh…that annoying bit…ah well…I don't own either HP or RK, and I'm not gaining anything from this…(except maybe writing experience, but that hardly counts, ne?)_

_Last time on RKatCoS_

_Kenshin and Hiko are transported to the Weasleys, where Kenshin can already see the fun is about to start…_

**Chapter Three**

**At the Burrow**

Kenshin had never before in his life seen any other place remotely like 'The Burrow' as it was called. The building looked like it was once a pigsty, but had had so many rooms added it was now several storeys high. It also looked like a child had built it without knowing what a house should look like, because it was so wonky that it looked as if the roof, with its five teetering chimneys would just slide off the other end at any given moment. He was willing to bet that the only reason it was still standing was because of magic and enchantments. He knew for definite that in the muggle world, such a place would be one that had a sign on it saying '_Danger: unsafe structure, keep out'_. There was a large garden filled with chickens and, from what Ron told him, little creatures with overly large, potato shaped heads called gnomes and beyond that was a large hill where they owned a paddock surrounded by trees. It was perfect to practice Quidditch (a wizard sport played on brooms) or Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu – which Hiko now claimed as territory to get Kenshin working some new Kata once they were settled in.

But this was nothing compared to inside the house itself.

Kenshin soon learned to expect the unexpected. Kenshin nearly jumped through the roof when the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece began to give him fashion tips and telling him how he looked cute. Small explosions seemed to emit from Fred and George's room, making Kenshin think they had some sort of battle field in there (he never dared to look. Besides, it would be rude). The room Kenshin shared with Ron was painted bright orange and all his posters of his favourite Quidditch team – the Chudley Cannons (hence the eye-stinging colour scheme) - moved and waved at them. Then there was a ghoul in the attic that threw pipes around in the attic if things got too quiet. All in all, there was only one word Kenshin could think of to describe the place – Insane!

About a two days later after Kenshin had arrived, Kenshin walked through the door leading into the kitchen, rubbing his arm where Hiko had managed to catch him with the back of his katana and lying his sakabato on the table, to find Mrs Weasley up making breakfast. She looked surprised when Kenshin walked in.

"My, You're up early!" she said, "The sun has only just come up fully as well."

Kenshin smiled up at her. "My master and I had practice on the hill." He explained. "We always get up early. Forgive me if we disturbed you at all."

"Not at all!" Mrs Weasley said with a smile. "Breakfast will be ready soon, if you want any."

"Do you need any help, Weasley-dono?" Kenshin asked politely, ignoring the stinging of his arm.

Mrs Weasley looked surprised. "Oh, you don't have to, Kenshin dear. You're a guest."

Kenshin beamed at her. "That's okay. Living with Shishou, I have to do a lot of things like cooking and stuff. I don't mind helping."

Mrs Weasley hesitated for a bit before smiling at him. "Well, I certainly will never say no to someone who wants to help out, especially with the crowd we've got staying here!" She said with a laugh. Kenshin smiled as he began to help her lay the table and make the sausages, and she saw that he was quite good at it. By the time they were nearly finished and Ron, Ginny and the twins began stumbling down the stairs groggily, still dressed in pyjamas, Mrs Weasley seemed ecstatic with her new helper.

"I wish you lot would be so generous," She said to the boys when they just stood there staring when Kenshin offered them sausages, before they all ran to check if he had fever. Of course, Kenshin could only oro at their antics.

A little later, Ron took Kenshin up to the hill so they could play Quidditch with the twins. Kenshin had only ever watched Quidditch before, never actually played it, so Ron began to teach Kenshin how to do it. Kenshin borrowed Ron's broom. But Kenshin was very good at flying after only a few minutes so they started to practice by throwing apples at each other. They couldn't use the normal Quidditch balls. How on earth would they explain it to the muggles if an escaped Bludger clouted someone in the back of the head? But Ron's broom wasn't much good for playing on either, as some butterflies were faster than the old thing. Kenshin was just glad Hiko was back at the house and wasn't there to see it, lest he decide to tell them of any other –cough- embarrassing situations he had been in.

"You should try out for chaser," one of the twins said after Kenshin caught all the apples aimed his way in rather daring moves spectacularly and aimed them through the makeshift hoops perfectly each time, making Kenshin blush at the complement.

Lunch was rather amusing – Mr Weasley had come home for lunch from work and was asking Hiko all about the muggle world, but kept getting interrupted because his cup would get knocked over or his plate would slip from the table mysteriously. Kenshin had to hold in a laugh as Mr Weasley turned to the Twins accusingly, who looked partially bemused at how it was happening, and slightly envious that it wasn't them who was doing it. But Kenshin knew. He had been trained to see such movements after all – he saw Hiko's hand blur to knock things over to shut him up. Kenshin looked at Hiko, who winked. Kenshin looked back innocently when Mr Weasley started to ask who the culprit was.

That evening, though, Kenshin was in for a surprise. It had started like any ordinary evening in the Weasley household. Hiko and Ron were playing Wizard chess (Kenshin had been opposed to it from the start, but Hiko told him he was being a baka as usual and that he wasn't going to lose – which was exactly the point. Kenshin couldn't bear for Hiko to become even more conceited) while the twins teased their brother as he was losing spectacularly to the smirking muggle. Kenshin was in the kitchen helping Mrs Weasley and Ginny make dinner and Percy was in his room… again. Suddenly, the door swung open to reveal an irate looking Mr Weasley.

"Oro?"

"Arthur?" Asked Mrs Weasley, rather surprised by the entrance.

"Looks like Harry's in some trouble," Mr Weasley said grimly, sitting down on the kitchen table. Ron stared, immediately abandoning the game he just lost to dash in to find out what was going on.

"What do you mean?" Ron said, worriedly.

"Only that Harry got a warning from the Improper Use of Magic Office three days ago. Everyone at the ministry is talking about it." Mr Weasley said. "Something about using magic in front of muggles or something."

Ron, Kenshin and the twins stared at each other.

"You shouldn't have said 'Just because we can't use magic, doesn't mean they know' at the end of last term, Baka Deshi" Hiko said in Japanese with a smirk.

Kenshin blushed. "You know I didn't mean actually _do _magic, Shishou!" He moaned.

Ron looked worried. "Harry wouldn't do something like that unless he was in trouble, would he?" Ron asked Kenshin. Kenshin shook his head affirmatively.

"I bet those rotten Muggles did something – no offence, Hiko" Said Fred. Hiko smirked in answer.

Mrs Weasley looked at her husband distressfully. "I hope nothing bad has happened." She mumbled. "He was such a sweet boy when we met at the train station. You know, if Harry hasn't answered by Friday, We'll have to go over ourselves, Arthur. Ron, could you write again, just in case?"

Kenshin thought he would spare Errol. "You can borrow Mika. She's never lost a letter, even at long distance."

"Thanks, Kenshin," Ron said, darting to get some ink and parchment, though Kenshin could tell that Ron didn't think it would work. Kenshin was sure he thought it was all the muggles' fault.

During dinner that night, while Mr and Mrs Weasley and Hiko talked, Fred and George leaned into Kenshin and Ron. "I dunno, you guys, but things look fishy." Said George.

"Harry might be in serious trouble," added Fred.

"They might be starving him"

"They might be torturing him!"

Kenshin sweat-dropped. "That's rather over the top, de gozaru…"

"Why would Harry try magic if he wasn't in some sort of trouble?" Asked Ron, biting his lip and playing with the food on his plate.

The twins leaned in even more. Kenshin glanced at them suspiciously, already knowing they could be worse than Hogwarts resident master-of-insanity poltergeist, Peeves. "We were thinking that we shouldn't wait for Friday. Harry might be in trouble. We should get him out of there tonight."

"You mean using Dad's flying car?" asked Ron. Kenshin almost dropped the fork he was holding and had to juggle with it to prevent it clattering to the floor.

"Flying _what?_" he choked.

"Flying car." Fred said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Kenshin ogled, trying to process the thought of a car _flying_.

Ron saved him from going swirly-eyed with too much thought. "He took it apart to see how it worked, put spells on it and fixed it back together again. You know, if dad raided our house, he'd have to put himself under arrest!"

"'Course, Mom wouldn't be too pleased if she found out…" George said. "But it is for the greater good!"

"When?" asked Ron. There voices had grown lower and Kenshin had to glance at Hiko to make sure he wasn't eavesdropping. He wasn't – he was too busy being tortured by Mr Weasley with more questions. He looked about ready to Doryusen him into the floor. Kenshin turned back to them again.

"Tonight at midnight." Said Fred. "Everyone'll be asleep, so Mom won't even know. We'll just say Harry turned up in the middle of the night or something."

"I'll come too." Kenshin said. They looked at him as if they hadn't thought he would help. Kenshin smiled. "Well, if they are doing anything bad to him, we can't use magic to protect him or yourselves, but I'm sure I could be of some help…" he indicated his sakabato. The twins grinned. They hadn't yet caught Kenshin practising – he and Hiko always woke up exceptionally early – but they had heard the stories of his skill.

"Good on ya, Kenny! We'll have you one of us in no time!"

Kenshin blushed.

"We'd better owl Hermione, Sanosuke and Kaoru though." Ron said, "or we'll never hear the end of it!"

o0o

Kenshin and Ron sat in their room in the pitch black, waiting for the others to go to bed. It was crucial they get their timing right. If just one adult, or even Percy for that matter, saw them leaving the house, they would be in big trouble to say the least. Kenshin knew that if Hiko caught him, he would most likely find himself pushing up daises before he could utter an apology. It wasn't long before they finally heard the last door close, but they waited longer to make sure they would be asleep before they utilised their plans. Kenshin could only hope that when they started the car, it wouldn't startle everyone else awake too.

Ron nudged Kenshin after a bit and Kenshin nodded in acknowledgement. Carefully, making very little sound, they got up and made their way out of the room. Kenshin also took his sakabato – just in case. Gingerly, they crept down the stairs and opened the door to the yard. Kenshin almost winced at the small squeak it emitted. Thankfully, it didn't wake anyone up. Fred and George were already outside.

It was almost pitch black outside. The sky was covered in clouds, which blotted out the moon and stars, so there was very little light down below, except that from the headlights of the car, which was purring in waiting. That would be good, Kenshin thought. At least if any Muggles looked up, they wouldn't see them because of the cloud-cover.

"You took your time," whispered Fred. "Where's Kenny?"

"Here." Kenshin said, stepping out of the shadows into the headlights. The twins jumped, even Ron did. Kenshin had never made a sound!

"Bloody hell, Kenshin! Don't do that!" Gasped Ron

Kenshin rubbed the back of his head. "Gomennasai, I can't help it…"

"Cool!" said the twins in unison. Kenshin laughed nervously.

"Come on then," Said Ron. "We gotta hurry, or it'll be light soon and I _really_ don't want mom finding out"

George made a gracious bow. "Of course, oh wonderful leader!"

"We are at your command, General Ronald," Fred joined in.

Ron blushed and glared at Kenshin as if daring him to join in. Kenshin raised his hands. "Maa, Maa. Lets just get Harry back before we get caught, de gozaru yo!"

They all scrambled into a turquoise coloured Ford Anglia. Kenshin gave it a slightly doubtful look. How was this thing going to fly?

Kenshin watched as Fred pushed a button on the dashboard then put his hands to the steering wheel. Kenshin almost yelped in surprise when the car simply rose from the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Kenshin could see the trees and the earth in general drop away from them. In seconds think clouds devoured them, blocking the ground from sight.

"What do you think, Kenshin?" asked Ron grinning.

Kenshin smiled. "Its different."

"Put the pedal to the metal, Fred!" cried George dramatically. Fred slammed his foot on the accelerator and the shot through the sky. Suddenly, they stopped again and Fred turned in his seat to look at them.

"Which way is Surrey again?"

Everyone face faulted.

"Oro!"

"Just kidding, just kidding."

"Fred…" growled Ron.

"Okay! Here we go!" and Fred turned the wheel, making them shoot off through the sky.

It was as if they had entered another world. Kenshin's eyes were the size of plates as he stared out the window. They were flying higher than the clouds, so below them looked like glittering snow in the night, overcast by bright stars and a full moon lighting the way. It looked magical, like something out of a fairytale that went past castles and magic itself. Even though he was worried, he couldn't help but be at awe in the face of the natural wonders of the world.

Kenshin could see breaks in the clouds below them, seeing the lights of street lamps as the flew over muggle towns, but Fred made sure they flew where no one looking up might mistake them for some type of UFO, but so they could still look out for Surrey.

He wasn't sure if it was just worry for his friend, or worry about what Hiko would do if he found out they were on this little escapade, but it wasn't long before Fred turned out the headlights and they began to descend to earth again. They were flying low over a deserted Muggle street, passed a sign saying _Privet Drive_. The houses were clean looking, with almost identically neat gardens and polished cars parked in the drives. Kenshin almost had to suppress a shiver. This was the type of place where everybody knew everybody and tried to be nice, but would begin to gossip as soon as your back was turned. It was also a place you would never expect someone like Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived and hero of the wizarding world to live.

"There it is!" said Ron, pointing to the most neat and tidy house on the street. They all looked out the windows to look. Apart from the cleaner-than-average look to it, number four looked as normal as any of the normal houses, except…

"Why are there bars on that window?" Kenshin asked in confusion. Fred and George gave each other knowing looks. Looks like they found the reason why Harry hadn't been answering their letters.

"Come on, Fred," Said Ron, impatience in his voice. "Bring us a little closer, we can't see if it's his room." For once, Fred complied without making a fuss. They carefully reversed towards the window a little more, 'parking' a few inches away from the wall. Carefully, Ron wound down his window and he and Kenshin peered into the barred window. Kenshin had to grip his sakabato tightly to prevent himself from snarling angrily at the sight that met his eyes.

The room behind the bars was a small box-room that seemed to be filled with broken toys and other junk, all with the name Dudley Dursley written on it and all of which looked as if it had been broken by said person in a tantrum. There was very little floor space to speak of. The door to the room seemed to be locked and the only way in or out was a small cat-flap by the door. On the half-hidden bedside table was a cage with a white snowy owl inside, but the cage was padlocked. Next to the cage was a small bowl – which was probably left from whenever dinner had been. The bed, however, had the only occupant of the room lying on it. The occupant was a boy of Kenshin and Ron's age, though he was rather small and very skinny for his age, even more so since the last time they had seen him. He wore clothes that looked like hand-me-downs that were several sizes too big. At that moment in time he seemed to be in a fitful sleep, his round glasses lob-sided on his face. His untidy jet-black hair was all over the place, almost covering the strange, lightning bolt shaped scar that marked him out as the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter.

TBC

**Chosha's Notes**

_Oooo cliff-hanger! I'm evil sometimes… Anyway, we sort of know what they are about to see. I've just gotta say, if you expected the Weasleys to see Kenshin practising, or Sparing with Hiko, I'm sorry to disappoint you in that respect. However, I wanted to Get Harry on the scene first. Harry, Of course, has seen Kenshin fight, but will want to see Hiko fight too, so…you get the picture. Harry would be the one to go sneaking round at funny times in the morning/night, wouldn't he?_

_Also, Kenshin knows he's gonna get in trouble for going to save Harry if Hiko finds out, but Kenshin always thinks about others (even when he was younger) so Kenshin is gonna risk it, but…poor Ken-nii (CK: winces at the thought) – I'll say no more. But that aside, do you guys/girls have any questions, constructive criticisms or just general pointers or ideas for the story (which if I agree to, will have that specific chapter dedicated to you), just click on that little button at the bottom and review. I promise I'll get back to you if you have questions that need answering, etc._

_Next time on RkatCoS_

_Kenshin sees who is behind the window (three guesses as to who it is!) and they decide to bust him out of his 'prison'. Next episode: Breakout_

_But until then, Ja ne!_

_Chosha Kurenai xXx_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chosha's notes**

_Konnichiwa! Welcome back and thank you so much for your reviews. To those who tell me this is becoming better than the first story, thanks for that, too. I hope that I can live up to your expectations. Anywho, I think you don't need to listen to me babbling. Here's the next chapter!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from RK or HP…so lay off!_

_Last timer on RkatCoS…_

'The room behind the bars was a small box-room that seemed to be filled with broken toys and other junk; all with the name Dudley Dursley written on it and all of which looked as if it had been broken by said person in a tantrum. There was very little floor space to speak of. The door to the room seemed to be locked and the only way in or out was a small cat-flap by the door. On the half-hidden bedside table was a cage with a white snowy owl inside, but the cage was padlocked. Next to the cage was a small bowl – which was probably left from whenever dinner had been. The bed, however, had the only occupant of the room lying on it. The occupant was a boy of Kenshin and Ron's age, though he was rather small and very skinny for his age, even more so since the last time they had seen him. He wore clothes that looked like hand-me-downs that were several sizes too big. At that moment in time he seemed to be in a fitful sleep, his round glasses lob-sided on his face. His untidy jet-black hair was all over the place, almost covering the strange, lightning bolt shaped scar that marked him out as the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter.'

**Chapter Four**

**Breakout **

Kenshin looked into the barred room with something akin to shock and disgust. "Why would someone do something like this…" Kenshin said, feeling angry despite of himself. He almost hissed.

Ron looked over at him and almost shuddered. In the semi-darkness, it almost looked as is the Japanese boy's eyes were _glowing_. "Kenshin?"

Kenshin closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath, forcing away the anger. It would do no good here if they were going to rescue Harry. Having got that under control, he turned to Ron, who was relived to see his eyes weren't glowing that eerie amber anymore. Was it just a trick of light? "We need to get his attention without waking anyone else up." Kenshin said. He turned to Fred. "Think you can hold this steady? I need to get to the window."

"You can count on us!"

"Yeah," said George. "We do it all the time."

Kenshin decided not to ask them what they meant by that and said to Ron, "I've got an idea…I think."

Carefully, Kenshin leaned out of the car window and slid his hands between the bars of the window. Carefully, he ran his fingers over the window's edge to find a good hold with his fingernails, then, slowly, little by little, pushed the window up. A stale smell came from the room, as if it had been locked up for several days. He attempted to reach through to prod him awake, but his arm was too short. "Ugh…I can't reach. Ron, could you pass me my Sakabato?"

Ron hesitated, then passed the sword through the bars. Kenshin grabbed it, then leaned as far as he could, holding the sheathed sword by the hilt. It was just long enough for him to reach Harry's head. He tapped it.

He didn't move.

Worried, he tapped again, harder. The boy moaned. "Stop it…Leave me alone…cut it out…I'm trying to sleep" He batted at the Sakabato weakly, until his hand connected with the saya. The boy's eyes snapped open. For a moment, he looked bewildered, his hand still resting against the sakabato. Harry touched it, confused.

"Harry," Kenshin whispered, so as not to wake the muggles (though the snoring from somewhere in the house was probably loud enough to cover his voice from the other occupants of the house even if he didn't). "Harry-kun, up here."

"Psst. Harry, up here, look" Ron added.

Harry stiffened and his face turned up to look at them. His emerald green eyes widened in shock and he almost fell off the bed as he noticed Kenshin, his arms dangling through the window, clutching his sheathed sword and Ron, who's face ogling through the bars beside him.

All he could do was gape. "R-Ron! Kenshin!" he breathed, scrambling up from his bed to get to the window. Kenshin grinned as he pulled his Sakabato back through the window. "I thought you were in Japan! How did you – what the -?" His jaw dropped and is eyes turned to the size of saucers as he saw them all sitting in the floating car. Kenshin could almost guess what must have been going through his mind. After all, it wasn't everyday that your school friends came to pick you up from a bared bedroom in a _flying _car. Fred and George waved merrily from the front seats.

"All right, Harry?"

Harry could only stare. His eyes looked ready to fall out of his head

Kenshin smiled at the reaction, but decided to answer the boy's question. "Ron-kun and his father picked me up to stay over at his house a few days ago, but that doesn't matter…" his face became serious. "What's happening here? Why have you been locked in your room?"

"And why haven't you been answering my letters?" asked Ron. "I asked you to stay about twelve times-"

"Thirteen, actually," added Fred.

Ron ignored him, "-And then Dad came home saying you had some sort of official warning about using magic in front of Muggles…"

"It wasn't me – how did he know?" he spluttered, still looking rather shocked at the hovering car. If the situation weren't so serious, Kenshin would have burst out laughing at the expression.

"Ron-kun's father works at the ministry," Kenshin explained, but Ron cut him off

"You know we're not supposed to do spells outside school –"

"Bit rich coming from you," Harry said dryly, eyeing the flying contraption.

"Iie, I mean, no, its not," Kenshin said with a small smile. "This belongs to Ron-kun's father. We didn't do anything to it."

"Unfortunately" added Fred, before sighing melodramatically. "Our father has upstaged us, dear brother."

"Oh, the horror of it all!" George moaned, dramatically putting his hand to his forehead. Harry chuckled at their antics.

Ron gave them a half-hearted glare. "But doing magic in front of the muggles, Harry…"

"Look, I told you it wasn't me," Harry said, exasperated. "But it'll take to long to explain now. Look, can you explain to everyone at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked me up and wont let me come back, and obviously I can't magic myself out, because the ministry'll think that's the second spell I've done in three days, so-"

Kenshin put his hand over Harry's mouth to stop him from babbling. Harry stopped, but glared at him. Kenshin just flashed him a disarming smile, pulling his hand away. "Maa, maa, Harry-kun. We're going to get you out now."

"But you can't do magic either!"

This time Kenshin snickered, his violet eyes glistening in amusement. "Who said anything about using Magic?"

Ron laughed. "I think you've forgotten who we've go with us." He chuckled, waving in the direction of the twins, both of whom grinned identically.

"How?" Harry asked.

"Well, you tie this to the bars," Fred said, passing a rope from somewhere in the front seat through the open window to Harry. "And stand back."

Harry looked at him for a moment, before taking the rope from him. "You know, If the Dursley's hear you, I'm dead"

Suddenly, Kenshin realised what they were going to do. They were going to tug the bars right out of the wall! The car was quiet, but if they did that, the revving it made would probably wake the whole neighbourhood. Quickly, he grabbed Fred's hand. "No, wait, don't."

Ron frowned. "Whaddya mean, don't? We are supposed to be breaking him out of here, you know."

Kenshin nodded. "Aa, I know, but you can't do it this way." Seeing the confused looks, he elaborated. "Look, if you pulled the bars from the wall, do you know how much noise it would make? The muggles would think someone was trying to break into their house to steal something. It'd have them on our tails before we even got Harry out. I don't think that it would be good if the muggles see a flying car, de gozaru."

All of their eyes widened as it dawned on them. "Then…what do we do?" asked Ron, looking towards the twins, but they looked a little unsure themselves, frowning thoughtfully as if planning their next prank. Kenshin thought for a moment, eyeing the bars, wondering what to do for a moment…

"Aha!" he punched one hand into the other, then turned to the twins. "I've got an idea, but you need to drop the car down a little."

The twins stared at him for a moment, then looked at each other, identical, impish smiles on their faces.

"Oh ho - something has occurred to our guest my brother." George said, grinning.

"Something that looks like could be fun." Added Fred, his eyes twinkling as he lowered the car slightly. Kenshin smiled in thanks, then, dropped out of the open door, grabbed hold of the top of the door-frame and swung himself onto the roof of the car with the grace of a cat.

Harry looked at him confused, but for the moment, Kenshin ignored him, testing the bars with his hands for a second. They seemed strong enough bars, but as he felt along, he could tell that if he applied just the right amount of pressure with his sword, they would cut as cleanly as a knife through butter. "Okay, Harry-kun, stand back."

Harry eyed him with a little trepidation as he stepped back into the room, while the twins and Ron peered up at him through the car windows. He felt like blushing. He didn't really want an audience… Kenshin closed his eyes for a moment, focusing, dispelling the idea of people watching him. This is nothing more than practice. Slowly, he dropped into Battojutsu stance, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sheathed Sakabato. He took a deep, calming breath… let it out slowly. The world around him seemed to narrow. It was just he, the sword and his target, the bars. Nothing else mattered. No distractions…Now!

Kenshin's eyes snapped open and he drew his sword with lightning speed, flipping the blade in mid air. The sword's arc slit through the bars like paper. Completing the arc, he pulled the blade back, reversing the technique and slicing through the other bars. For a second, there was silence. It was as if the whole world held its breath. Slowly, the bars began to teeter, before, as if in slow motion, they fell, landing in the push rose bush below with a soft 'thunk'. Within the house, there was no movement. No one had stirred.

"Yatta!" Kenshin punched the air in triumph.

The others could do nothing but stare at Kenshin's handiwork. Everyone was so silent you could hear the wind blowing… but the silence didn't last long.

"Woah!" gasped Ron. "That was bloody-"

"Brilliant!" cried the twins in unison. Kenshin laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment at the praise.

Harry stood there; gaping at the hole Kenshin had made, before looking up at the redheaded Japanese. "H…how…?" he managed.

Kenshin blushed a little, but smiled reassuringly. "It's something my shishou taught me." He simply stated. "But we've still go to get you out, you know." And he leapt onto the now clear window to allow the car to be raised to the window height. Ron leaned out of the car.

"Alright, get in."

Harry hesitated. "But…my wand…my books…they're all locked up in the cupboard under the stairs, but…I can't get out of this room."

"No problem, Harry." George said with a Grin and the two clambered out of the car and through the window while Ron quickly took the steering wheel. Kenshin and Harry shifted out the way for them.

George rummaged in his pocket for a moment, before pulling out an ordinary looking hairpin. Kenshin Oroed softly as he turned his attention to the lock and began to use the pin to pick at it. Fred noticed the boys' shocked expressions and grinned. "Yeah, we know. Loads of wizards think that it's a waste of time, but we think that it's a skill worth knowing."

Kenshin touched his chin for a second. "Aa, I see. If you can't use magic, like now, it would be the next best thing, ne?"

There was a soft 'click' and the door opened a little.

"So – we'll get your trunk – you and Kenny grap anything you need from your room and hand it through the window to Ron," whispered George.

"Hang on," whispered Kenshin. "Your Aunt and uncle doesn't have a burglar alarm, do they?"

"A what?" asked the twins.

Kenshin glanced at them. "It's like a muggle warning device. It uses sensors to 'see' movement and an alarm goes off." He explained.

"God, don't tell dad that or he'll be out trying to find out how they work, too," whispered Fred, sharing a grimace with George.

Harry shook his head. "No, they haven't. Dudley had a tantrum at the beginning of the summer and smashed the control box. They still haven't had it replaced yet." He turned to the twins. "Just watch out for the bottom step – it creaks."

The twins gave them a thumbs up and disappeared down the stairs in a way that Kenshin was sure would make even Hiko proud. Carefully, so as not to make too much noise, Kenshin and Harry began to grab a few things from around the room, passing them out to Ron, who began storing the items in the boot of the car through the back seat. It wasn't long before the twins made their way back up the stairs, but were struggling a little with the heavy Hogwarts trunk, so Kenshin slipped out of the room to help carry it. He listened, ears pricking as a cough emitted from one of the rooms.

With a little effort, Fred (who had now climbed into the car once more) and Ron helped Kenshin, Harry and George to haul the trunk over the windowsill and into the car with no little effort. By the time they got it snuggly into the car, Kenshin cast his ki-sense round. He froze when he felt the oldest man, probably this uncle Vernon character, coughed, but thankfully, he didn't come awake. Kenshin sighed and clambered into the car after George, Harry close behind. Suddenly, there was a screech that made everyone jump out of their skin.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!" thundered a voice.

Harry's eyes widened in horror. "I've forgotten Hedwig!"

Kenshin's eyes snapped to the door. He could feel the man's ki coming closer, and it was far from happy. Harry scrambled back across the room and grabbed the snowy owl's cage, just as the door burst open. The man that stood in the doorway was staring at them with piggy eyes that blazed, his face was even more purple that the last time he had seen the man, and his thick moustache was bristling more than ever. To all of them he looked rather intimidating. To Kenshin, who could sense something close to the desire to kill in his ki, he was positively scary!

Vernon bellowed like a bull and charged into the room, just as Harry made a dive for the window, snatching the boy's slim ankle in his beefy, paw-like hand. Harry yelped, but held onto the Weasley's tightly, while Kenshin attempted to pull him from the man's strong grasp.

"Petunia!" he roared. "He's getting away! HE'S GETTING AWAY!"

Damn, this guy was strong enough without anyone's help. If his wife and son got there too, they might not be able to get Harry away without almost ripping the boy in two, first! Quickly, he scanned the scene, his eyes landing on the fact that the man was more than half leaning out of the window. He definitely wasn't in a balanced position. An easy to break the iron-hard grip? Break the stance. Kenshin grapped his sakabato and slammed the end of the saya straight into the man's unprotected face. Vernon cried out as his nose crunched beneath the sheath, his face bloody as he lost his grip on Harry's ankle. Unfortunately, that meant he also lost his balance and fell head-first out of the window, crashing into the rose-bush below, just as a horse-faced woman and a boy who could only be compared to a blimp stumbled into the room. They gave a cry and staggered to the window as Vernon struggled to get out of the rose bush, covered in scratches and thorns. He hollered after them, shaking his fist as he tried to stem his nosebleed, only to lose his balance once more and fall back in the bush again.

"Put your foot on it Fred!" yelled Ron. Fred slammed his foot down and the car shot off into the air, but not before Harry gave a cheery wave through the window and yelled "See you next summer!" causing the Weasley's to roar with laughter and Kenshin to smile at the boy. Harry looked as if Christmas had come early – he was grinning from ear to ear.

Let Hedwig out," Harry told Ron. "She hasn't been out for ages – she can fly behind us."

George handed Ron the pin, and Kenshin watched, intrigued, as he began to insert the pin, twiddle with it a little and, not long later, the lock clicked open and the owl almost burst from the cage.

"Oro!" Kenshin yelped and ducked as the bird nearly took his head off in her haste to get out on the winds again, causing another round of laughter.

"So," said Ron after the laughter had finally calmed down. "What's the story, Harry? What's been happening?"

"Why had your aunt and uncle locked you in your room?" asked Kenshin sternly. He just couldn't understand why someone would do such a thing…his face clouded as he remembered the bandit attack that killed all the people he had known at the orphanage he had lived at for a year before he came under Hiko's care. Then again, he had not been able to understand why all those people had to loose their lives that day, either. Truly, humans can be so utterly cruel…

Harry began to tell them everything that had happened to him over the summer. He described how things had been okay for the first week, but after then, his mail had not come to him at all. He told them that a strange little creature called Dobby had given him a warning not to go to Hogwarts and how he had been the one to take his mail. He informed them that because Harry would not stay at home, Dobby had levitated a violet pudding on top of Mr and Mrs Mason's heads, and the warning letter that followed.

When he had finished, the twins looked at each other with dark expressions, murmuring about just how odd the whole thing sounded.

"So, he wouldn't even tell you who's meant to be plotting all this stuff?" George asked, finally. Harry just shook his head.

"I don't think he could. I told you, every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head against the wall."

"You know, I've heard the saying 'bagging your head against a brick wall', but that's just stupid." muttered Ron darkly. Picturing the scene, Kenshin was inclined to agree. The twins just looked at each other.

Harry hesitated. "What, you think he was lying to me?" he asked.

"Well," said Fred, "put it this way – house-elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't use it without their Master's permission. I reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back to Hogwarts. You know – someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?

Kenshin, Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Draco Malfoy." Harry said, finally. "He hates me."

Kenshin remembered the blond Slytherin boy from his last year at Hogwarts. The boy was a rather stuck up kid from what was known as a pureblooded family. He was also something of a wimp and absolutely terrified of Kenshin (and for good reason since Kenshin had threatened Malfoy with his blade after he had attempted an attack on Kenshin while his back was turned.). However, Kenshin wouldn't put it passed the boy to do something like this to Harry, whom he had hated since their fateful meeting on the train to Hogwarts at the start of last year. He listened quietly as the twins began to tell them about the fact Malfoy's father, Lucius, had been a former supporter of 'You-know-who' (which Kenshin had to roll his eyes at. It was common knowledge that no wizard or witch would say Voldemort's name aloud. In fact, Kenshin had so far only heard the name being used – apart from by himself – by Harry and Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts and the only man Voldemort had ever, supposedly, feared.) And therefore his son was probably not much better, with him as an influence. Finally, Harry looked away, worriedly. Kenshin glanced at him. He could almost see the thoughts forming. '_Was he so stupid as to take Dobby seriously?'_

"Well," Kenshin said, slowly, "whether it was a trick or no, I think it would be best that we keep our guard up, just in case." He glanced out of the window, watching as the dark clouds float by. He allowed himself to zone out a little as Harry and Ron began to talk about Ron's father and his job, thinking about what Dobby could have meant by the strange warning…perhaps something else was going to happen at Hogwarts again, like with the philosopher's stone. Kenshin pulled a face at his reflection in the window at the thought. Kami, he hoped not. Perhaps he would have to take it up with Hiko…but he seriously hoped that it was merely a prank from Malfoy.

"That's the main road," said George suddenly, leaning towards the window to look out at the scene below. "We'll be there in ten minutes."

Fred began to fiddle with some switches on the dashboard and the car began to lower towards earth again. The clouds cleared a little just as the wonky form of the burrow came into view.

"Touchdown!" warned Fred as, with a slight bump the car connected with earth once more, landing just outside the tumbled down garage in the small yard. Harry began staring out the window, his eyes glistening. Kenshin could imagine. After being stuck in the muggle world, locked within his room, he could bet it was a relief to see something so…well, so magical.

"It's not much," Ron said, looking a little embarrassed.

"Its _Brilliant_!" Harry grinned happily, causing Ron to go red. Kenshin smiled at the reaction.

They clambered out of the car and began pulling all of Harry's items from the car, chatting all along about how they were going to explain this to the Weasleys when Kenshin felt a ki coming towards them – and a very angry ki at that. Kenshin whipped round to the direction it was coming from and the colour drained from his face. Storming towards them, scattering chickens in her wake was Mrs Weasley, looking for the life of her more scary than the vicious three-headed dog, Fluffy; they had faced last year. While behind her, strode Hiko, his white cape billowing out behind him and if looks could kill, Kenshin would have been nothing more than ask on the floor. As they approached, Kenshin, for the first time in years, truly felt afraid.

TBC

Chosha's notes

Dum dum duuuuuuuuuuuuum! Mwahaha! I'm so evil at times. Sorry, bout the cliff-hanger, but that just seemed a good place to stop. Anyway, what do you think? I tried to cut down on some of the blab that they have in this part of the book, I mean, like hell I was gonna repeat everything, while making my own RK twist. I'm not sure how it came out, but, hey, that's why you guys review, ne? So, please, push the little button in the corner and tell me your opinions, questions, ideas or constructive criticisms. I promise to answer any questions ASAP.

Next time on RkatCoS

Kenshin and the others discover their punishments and Harry, Ron, and the twins discover the extent of both Kenshin and Hiko's abilities – by _spying_ on them? Next episode: speed of the sword.

But until then, Ja ne!

Chosha Kurenai xXx


	5. Chapter 5

**Chosha's Notes**

Konnichiwa and welcome back! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up – and after that cliffy too, but I had to get ready for exams that started on the eighth of June, so my time working on my stories was cut short. So, this means that for a little while, my stories will be a little slower on updates, but, as you see, I do have valid reasons, rather than not being bothered or something. However, for now, here I am now with this new chapter (big round of applause!)

Guess what though! RKatPS, the Prequel to this, was nominated for a RK fanfiction Crossover on Meiji Tales! Isn't that cool! I hope whoever did the nominating knows I appreciate the though and accepted.

By the way, thank you everyone who reviewed last time and I'll try to behave with those cliff-hangers this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own RK or HP in any way, shape or form, so I won't get zilch from doing this but perhaps reviews.

Last time on RKatCoS

Kenshin, Ron and the Weasley twins rescue Harry from the Dursleys and find out about Dobby, but when they get back, their absence wasn't missed and Kenshin is feeling dread as Hiko and Mrs Weasley arrive at the scene, catching them red-handed.

**Chapter Five**

**The Aftermath**

Kenshin barely felt the others look over and freeze as they finally saw the two figures stalking towards them, his eyes fixed on the advancing form of Hiko. The Kenjutsu master stopped about a metre away from him, glaring down at him with onyx eyes that held as much warmth as the Antarctic. Kenshin barely saw as Mrs Weasley began to stare down her children (though this would have been something Kenshin would have been amazed at normally, seeing as her children were at least as tall as she was.) His eyes were glued on his master. He wasn't wearing his customary smirk, but wore an expression that made him seem like he was death himself. But then, Kenshin had seen death before and had seen Hiko deal it out like hot cakes. Although he knew Hiko wouldn't kill him – he would say he wouldn't want to find another Deshi – it still didn't lessen the fact that Kenshin felt he was looking into the gates of hell itself.

"Well, Deshi," Hiko said in Japanese, his voice icily calm. Kenshin visibly flinched at the tone. Even being called a Baka deshi was better than this harsh manner. "What have you got to say for yourself?"

Kenshin suddenly found that he couldn't hold his master's gaze any longer and dropped his own to the floor, bowing his head, scuffing a foot against the gravel. "S-Sessha…We…we wanted…to help…Harry-kun." He managed, feeling Hiko's gaze burning on him. "He was in trouble, so we went to get him to safety, Shishou…"

"So, basically, you walked into the unknown without thinking of any sort of consequences at all, even though we already had a plan, which you blatantly ignored. You really are a Baka Deshi - I thought I had taught you better."

Annoyance stabbed at Kenshin and his head snapped up. "Iie!" He glared at Hiko. "We did plan out what we were going to do, but you weren't there! He might not have lasted until Friday!"

"Baka na!" he snapped back, causing Kenshin to recoil at the sound. "What was stupid is the fact that you told no one. If something had happened, however unlikely, No one would have come to help you. You all could have been hurt – you could have put everyone in danger with such a stupid stunt."

Kenshin flinched hard, as if Hiko had struck him, the words stinging like a blow, all his anger dissipating so fast it left him cold. _You could have put everyone in danger…_ his dropped his gaze to the gravelled path, his eyes hidden by his bangs and he shook silently. "S-sumanai…" he whispered. "Sessha… Gomennasai…"

They were silent for a moment, Hiko staring down at the small boy who, just then, seemed smaller than normal. The silence between them stretched; punctuated only by the yelling of Mrs Weasley as she shouted at her own sons, but even that seemed to be muffled by the choking stillness between the two.

Hiko eyed his apprentice a moment, taking in the stance he held himself in that made him seem like he wanted nothing more than to hit him-self. Intrigued, he read the boy's half-concealed ki and was quietly surprised that it seemed to be rather distressed. However, he needed to know something like this: that he couldn't just charge into something at an impulse. Still, the kid would most likely be kicking himself all day about it, then brood even more and that just wouldn't do. He almost sighed. That stupid apprentice was going to make him soft, he thought darkly.

"I understand that you were doing it for your friend's sake," he said, causing Kenshin to look up at him shyly, almost disbelieving. The man glanced at the sword clutched in his hands. "And at least you actually thought about taking your sakabato with you." Hiko paused for a second, then permitted himself a dark smirk. "But that doesn't mean you are getting out of punishment."

Kenshin flinched again, bu_t_ this time, Hiko was pleased to note, his ki wasn't leaning towards depression any longer. Though still distressed, it was now more focused on what his punishment would be. _There, my work here is done_, he thought smugly.

"Hai, shishou," the boy said meekly.

"I want you to run to the paddock, then run 100 laps."

"Hai, Shishou"

"Then you must run through kata ten times. After that, we are going to spar, to make up for the practice you lost gallivanting off in that interesting car of theirs. Then you are going to start on the new kata."

Kenshin's head snapped up and he stared at Hiko in horror. "NANI!" he gasped, before he suddenly realised that he was in fact in trouble and wasn't meant to be having a light time out of it. He winced. "Hai…Shishou…"

Hiko looked down at the boy for a second, before bopping him on the head.

"Oro!"

"Well, what are you waiting for, Baka Deshi? Get running."

"ORO! Sumimasen!" and he bolted as if his life depended on it towards the Weasley's paddock.

Hiko smirked, resisting the urge to laugh out loud at the boy. He glanced over at the Weasleys, where the mother was now running out a long stream of things to yell at the cowering boys about and was becoming rather hoarse in the process. He chuckled slightly, before turning to the boy they had brought back with them. Kami, he was almost as titchy as Kenshin! The kid all but cowered at his gaze. Perhaps the kid thought he was going to be in trouble too. Hiko flashed him a small smirk, before turning on his heal and heading off after his apprentice to make sure he wasn't about to slack off. Not that he thought he would, but because it would be funny to watch. Behind him, he could feel the boy stare at him, before his ki flickered to unease again. Hiko chuckled.

o0o

Kenshin all but fell on the bed in the room he was sharing with Ron, and now, it seemed, Harry, in complete exhaustion. He could hardly even feeling the rumble of his stomach from hunger or the aching pain in his limbs from the hits he had taken from Hiko's sword, his back was stiff and throbbed like fire, but he was just too tired to move. All he wanted to do was sleep. Better yet, how about finding a nice place to just curl up and die. That sounded good…if he could just find the energy to actually find said place to curl up and die. He groaned pitifully into his pillow.

"That bad, was it?" Ron asked sympathetically as he fed a fat grey rat – Scabbers - that was sitting on the end of his bed. However, Kenshin was sure he heard a little humour in his words. Kenshin levelled a half-hearted glare at the other boy, but decided not to grace him with an answer.

"You missed breakfast," Harry, who was sitting on a camp bed that filled up the remaining floor space in the room, said, "Mrs Weasley was saying that it was a little harsh of Mr Hiko to make you do training without eating first."

Kenshin managed a feeble smile. "Daijobu. I'm…sort of used to training before breakfast. It doesn't matter."

"It's a shame – you missed de-gnoming the garden." Harry said enthusiastically. "I never knew tossing gnomes could…well, be so fun."

Kenshin managed to lift his head. "Tossing gnomes?" he asked, confused. "Wouldn't it hurt them?"

Ron shook his head with a laugh. "Nah. You just have to make them really dizzy so they can't find their way back to their gnomeholes."

He tried to picture it. Really, he did. But right now his head felt like it was about to have brains dripping from his ears, so he gave up and let his head thump onto the pillow again. "Hn…"

"Oh no you don't," Ron said with a laugh. "Mom'll chew you out if you don't eat some breakfast." He put on a high pitched, poorly executed feminine voice and began to imitate Mrs Weasley. "You can't skip breakfast, Kenshin. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I will not have you missing meals under my roof young man!"

Kenshin laughed a little, but it hurt even to laugh. Kami-sama… and this was when Hiko was still holding back – at least enough not to kill him anyway. Then with all that running and training old and new kata, he had to wonder how he was still alive.

However, Ron, being as unobservant as he was, didn't notice the slight hitch in his breath when he laughed and crawled over his bed to him. "Come on, wakie, wakie!" and he shook his shoulder.

He froze when Kenshin's entire body stiffened and he hissed in pain.

"Kenshin?"

Kenshin managed to pull himself up stiffly, flashing them a small smile. "Its okay, de gozaru."

Ron and Harry looked at each other with unreadable expressions, then dived at Kenshin, who, due to his stiffness, couldn't move in time and they all but stripped the gi from his back.

"Oro!"

The two boys stared, both drawing in a breath as they caught sight of a bruise the size of a palm spreading across his side. Two welts, still quite red, were easily seen and formed a small finger length bruise across his right arm and a longer vertical line across his back. They stared at Kenshin, who shifted uneasily.

"Was your master really that mad? You know, about coming to get me and everything?" Harry gasped. "Did he beat you?"

Kenshin spluttered indignantly. "What? No! Shishou wouldn't do that, even if he was angry…It was from training."

"Training?" Harry said, incredulously.

"Hai, training," Kenshin said. "I know it looks bad, but…it is a kenjutsu – a sword arts style – that I'm learning. And the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu is a very deadly kind of sword arts indeed, so its only natural I get a few bruises if I don't get out of the way in time."

"Yeah, but…" Harry pointed to the palm-sized bruise. "That one looks like he threw you into the floor or something."

Kenshin winced a little in remembrance. "Actually, that was part of a Doryusen I didn't fully manage to avoid…"

"A what?" Ron asked, still staring at his bruises.

Kenshin blushed at the attention and pulled his gi back on his shoulders again to stop the boy's stares. "A Doryusen," he explained, trying to think how best to explain it. He remembered when he used it in the fight against the mountain trolls last year. "You remember when I made the tiles fly and hit the troll using that pipe in the bathroom when we went to save Hermione-dono? That was a Doryusen."

"You said you used your wand…" Ron said, looking even more confused.

The shorter redhead shrugged. "Well, I was trying to keep the whole swordsmanship thing a secret then, de gozaru," he pointed out dryly.

"Oh…er…right." Ron rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, while Harry looked ready to bang his head against the wall at how stupid he was being.

Finally, Harry just let out a breath and turned back to Kenshin with a frown. "Well, he could have held back…"

Kenshin smiled. "But that's the point – he did."

"What!" the two boys cried in unison.

"Well, he's not the current master of the style for nothing. If shishou hadn't moderated his strength, he would have killed me." He narrowed his eyes a little, becoming serious. "And I don't mean figuratively."

Harry and Ron stared, then looked at each other, gulping audibly. Ron looked at Kenshin, suddenly worriedly, as if he was going to drop dead on the spot. He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. After a moment, Ron said, "Maybe you should get mom to have a look at those bruises…"

Kenshin smiled, but shook his head. "No, that's alright. I don't want to worry her over a few bruises. Besides, It'll remind me not to do any more stupid stunts, ne? Sparing with Hiko after running 100 laps of your paddock, and running through kata ten times, then starting new kata, isn't something I want to try again any time soon."

Ron choked at that. Of course, Ron hadn't heard what Hiko had made him do (he had been a little busy with his mother's yelling.) Plus Hiko had spoken in Japanese, so it wasn't too surprising. Harry just looked at him doubtfully; making Kenshin shifted uncomfortably under the attention. Now would be a good time to change the subject…

"Anyway, I'll be fine, but I'd better go and get something to eat now I'm up, otherwise Weasley-dono will be after my head, de gozaru yo!" He grinned cheerfully at them as he pulled himself from the bed, hiding a wince. "Are you coming?"

Ron opened his mouth as if to agree, but Harry beat him to it, clamping a hand over Ron's mouth. "No, that's okay. We'll be down in a bit. You go ahead."

The redheaded Japanese gave them a side-glance, wondering just what Harry was thinking of this time. After all, Kenshin recognised that tone in the boy's ki as a warning Harry was up to something. However, he let the matter drop and, with one last look, left the room.

Harry watched as he left, until Ron began spluttering behind his hand from lack of breath. Harry jumped and, blushing, pulled his hand away. "Sorry."

"What the bloody hell was that for? I couldn't breath!"

"You'll get over it."

Ron glared at him for a moment, while Harry laughed, before saying. "Why'd you stop me?"

"Well, I need to ask you something about Kenshin."

Ron frowned. "What about him?"

"Well…" Now, how was he going to say this without seeming rude? "Have you…have you ever seen him and his master practising this Hiten Mitsurugi thing?"

"What? Oh, no I – don't you dare!" Ron said, pulling Scabbers from his bed as the rat attempted to eat the sheets again. "No, he always gets up way before the rest of us while he's been here." He continued. "They even beat mom sometimes. Shame really, I'd love to watch. I mean – Woah. If it can do that while holding back…"

Suddenly, two identical heads appeared in the doorway. "Ooh, are you talking about that fancy work with a sword Kenny can do?" George asked, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"And without us too." Fred continued, shaking his head sorrowfully.

"We feel-"

"So-"

"Unloved!" they wailed over-dramatically. Harry had to smile, but Ron just rolled his eyes.

"What do you two want?" he sighed.

"Why does us being here have to mean we have to want something?" asked Fred, looking hurt that Ron would think such a thing.

"We just happened to be passing by when we overheard you talking about our dear guest." George added, innocently.

"Oh yeah? You were passing by when your room is the floor below? Riiiiiiight, I believe you – what do you want?" Ron growled.

"But it's true!" George insisted.

"It's so bad when your own brother is accusing you of false accusations, isn't it?" Fred sobbed playfully. "if we're not careful, he'll end up turning into Percy!"

"Oh the horror!" George wailed. Ron just rolled his eyes and let the matter drop.

"So," said George as he threw himself on Kenshin's now vacant bed. "What's all this about Kenny and that sword thing of his?"

Ron looked as if he was about to argue, but thought better of it. Harry was glad – he didn't want to waste time arguing over something stupid like that. "Well, we were on about Kenshin and Hiko when they practice. They always get up really early, don't they?"

"Yup."

"Very true."

"They're always up before us." George added, thoughtfully.

"Oh, wait, dear brother, we did see them up once," Fred interjected. "About two days ago, it was. We were sort of busy and needed to get up early and we saw them then, going to the paddock where we play Quidditch. Remember, George?"

"Oh yes, I remember," George nodded. He grinned at the two younger boys. "Why, you thinking about going to watch?"

"That's unfair," said Fred. "You two have already seen him in action before…how about we all go see?"

"What?" spluttered Ron, "Oh no, you're not getting me in trouble with mom again! That was bloody scary – I never thought she could scream so much!"

"Come on, we wont get in trouble." Fred said in a dramatic stage whisper. "We wouldn't be doing anything wrong."

"Mores the pity…" mumbled George.

"We'd have to get up really early, though, wouldn't we?" Harry said.

"Then we might have to do it without them knowing…" Fred said thoughtfully. "You know, just so he doesn't get embarrassed or something" he added quickly, seeing the incredulous look on Ron's face, waving his hands.

Ron snorted. "Fat chance – Kenshin seems to notice everything – and Hiko is worse! He'd notice if you had a tiny smudge on your face half a mile away from him."

Harry thought for a moment, then grinned a little nervously. "Well…we could use my invisibility cloak…" he said hesitantly. "Kenshin said he didn't notice anything 'til I was shaking him awake…You know, that night we went to find the mirror of Erised."

Fred and George looked at each other, then at Harry with an awed look. "Wow, you have an invisibility cloak? Those things are really rare!"

Harry blushed a little at that and shifted uncomfortably, once more reminded of the Weasley's money status – or lack of. However, the twins didn't seem to be bothered at all.

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that," Ron said, eyes gleaming. "This'll be really cool!"

When the time came, however, Harry decided that this wasn't one of his better ideas. He groaned when he felt someone shaking him awake and attempted to bat him or her off weakly, before turning over and yanking the covers over his face. However, the person wouldn't leave him alone and began to poke him in the side with a rather sharp finger.

"Come on, Harry, or we'll miss them training!" He heard one of the twins whisper dramatically. Harry's eyes fluttered open and he blinked up at Fred (or was it George?), who ginned back at him toothily. Blearily, he glanced outside the window to see that the sun was barely even peaking over the horizon. Surprised, he pushed himself up and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. 4:01 it said. He stared. Kenshin got up this early _every day_! Did that boy ever sleep?

Harry pushed off the bed covers and began to change, looking over as Fred went to join George in trying to wake Ron up, which Harry knew was a task in itself.

Harry heard as Ron rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head, but the twins prodded him and told him to get up in an annoyingly cheerful voice that made you want to strangle them, especially when you heard it first thing in the morning. The youngest Weasley male moaned and began to mumble incoherently, something about the Twins, and irony and something very painful with blowfish spines. Harry chuckled. After what seemed like half an hour (though the clock told them it had only been a few minutes), they finally managed to drag Ron out of bed.

Harry looked round. "Where's Kenshin?" he asked.

George nodded in the direction of the paddock. They headed of to the paddock a minute before we got you guys up." He glanced at Harry with a grin. "So, you got your invisibility cloak?"

Harry nodded, holding it up. It flowed like silvery silk over his hands. "Yeah."

Fred looked at it, his eyes sparkling with interest. "Will it fit us all underneath it?"

"Sure it will," Ron said. "We managed to use it all right when we went to the third floor, didn't we?" Harry nodded in agreement.

Harry grinned. "Come on then, or they'll have finished practice before we even get there." And with that, he threw the cloak over their shoulders and in an instant they vanished.

**TBC **

**Chosha's notes**

Well, what do you think? A few things to say about this chapter.

Towards the end there, I made reference to another fic of mine – the Prequel to this called RuroKen and the Philosophers stone – about the troll fight and the mirror. Though both were in the Harry potter books, I did change things a bit to get the Kenshin-Gumi into the action. So, if you haven't read that yet, I'd suggest doing so, as I might make reference to the previous story again in the future.

One thing I noticed in book three was that Fred and George were able to find Harry trying to go to Hogsmeade, even though he was wearing an invisibility cloak. But, don't seem surprised, so I though this would also be a good place to show everyone just how they knew Harry owned one, but If it seems wrong, please inform me.

Also, near the beginning, Kenshin did have a bit of an outburst at Hiko, even though he was in trouble. I dunno if it was in character or not, but you have to remember that Kenshin is only twelve, so he's aloud to act childish every now and again – plus it is based in a more modern setting than the anime or manga. I know that I used to do that a hell of a lot as well when I was that age. I call it foot in mouth syndrome (winces as she remembers all the trouble that got her into…)

Ahem…anyways… I wasn't too happy with this ending, so I'll really try my best on the next chapter, as I didn't actually get to the spying thing as I promised last time…er…gomen…? That was why the chapter name was shoved back. Never mind though, ne?

Oh, one last thing. Fading Futures should be updated soon, so if you read that, I hope you won't hit me for taking so long with it…again.

Next time on RKatCoS

Ron, Harry and the twins go to spy on Kenshin and Hiko, but good god, I don't think they were expecting this! Next episode: **Speed of the Sword**

But, till next time – Ja ne!

Chosha Kurenai xXx 


	6. Chapter 6

_Chosha's Notes_

_Hey there and welcome back to RKatCoS! Thank you for all those reviews and I'm glad you didn't kill me for not getting to the spar part. Mind you, if you did, you would never have got to read it, would you. Speaking of that, I want to say an apology for last time, because I stopped just when you guys were ready for the big Harry-and-co-get-to-see-Kenshin-and-Hiko-spar bit. So, yeah, I'm really sorry about that. But anyway, I now have that much-awaited spar match right here! So, without further ado, here it is! Ta-da!_

_Disclaimer: although someone did ask me if I was actually Watsuki and JK Rowling working together on this, I'd have to say that I'm not, unfortunately (though maybe channelling them? …Nah!) So that means I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Harry Potter. They belong to the real Watsuki-sama and JK Rowling-sama, to whom all rights are reserved._

_Last time on RKatCoS_

_Kenshin received his punishment from Hiko, but when Harry and Ron find out, they decide they want to see Kenshin and Hiko actually sparing. So, with the Weasley tins, they make a plan to go and see them sparring and, under the invisibility cloak, they head off for the sparring grounds…_

**Chapter Six**

**Speed of the Sword**

Invisibility cloak covering them, Harry, Ron, Fred and George made their way down the stairs and into the yard, the silence only punctuated by a yelp or curse as one person managed to stand on the other's foot. Harry had to wince each time. Even though the invisibility cloak could make you invisible and, according to Kenshin, hide your 'life-force' or 'ki' from people who were ki-sensitive, it did not hide sound. And if either Kenshin or Hiko heard them, (and with such sensitive hearing, it wouldn't be unlikely) it would be all over and they would most likely be in a hell of a lot of trouble. Much to Harry's relief, however, by the time they were half way to the paddock, they had managed to synchronise their movements to avoid hurting each other at such close quarters. Harry sighed with relief. Perhaps this was going to work after all…

The paddock owned by the Weasley's was surrounded by trees, which reminded Harry of a small football stadium of some kind like those he had seen Dudley watching on the television, with a wide clearing in the middle covered with thick grass and daisies. Standing in the middle of the paddock was Kenshin, dressed in a white gi and pale-blue hakama that reminded him of some sort of Samurai, especially with the sheath of that strange backward sword of his resting in his belt. The sword itself was held in his hands and he looked as if he was just finishing off practising a certain move. A little further over, leaning against the side of the paddock was the large form of Hiko, complete with his impressive white cloak that Harry remembered from the time he had seen him at the station at the end of last term. His dark eyes were fixed on Kenshin.

"Umaku. Yori yoi, Baka Deshi," (Alright. Better, idiot apprentice.) Harry heard the giant man say - though he didn't understand what it was he had said as he had spoken in Japanese. They all came to a halt and crouched down near the edge of the paddock.

"Hai shishou!" (Yes master) answered the boy in kind, wiping the sweat from his forehead and grinning. Harry guessed that what Hiko had said must have been good.

"What's he saying?" whispered Harry to the Weasleys, seeing as they had spent longer with Kenshin than he had, with him staying with them and all.

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. I recognise a few words from things Kenshin has slipped before. Shishou is what Kenshin calls Hiko – I think it means master or something. 'Hai' means 'yes'. Hiko always seems to call Kenshin 'Baka Deshi'…does that mean idiot student or something?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Hiko calls Kenshin that? But he's got to be the cleverest guy we know! I mean, he rivalled Hermione in the exams!"

"I think it's an on-running joke or something," Ron said. Fred nudged him.

"Look"

Hiko, who was now smirking, pushed himself from the side of the paddock and made his way over to Kenshin, who looked back at him with a look of ominous foreboding, as if he knew what Hiko was going to do next. Hiko pushed back his cloak to reveal a sword at his hip and he drew it, sending a ringing sound vibrating through the air.

"Ima, Suparingu no junbi wo suru, Deshi." (Now, prepare to spar, apprentice)

Damn, Harry wished he knew what Hiko had just said. Obviously Kenshin did, because he grimaced and stepped forward, falling into some sort of stance.

"It looks like they're going to spar," said Fred, excitement in his voice.

Hiko also dropped into stance, his sword at the ready and his eyes narrowed. "Yoi ga dekite iru ka?" (Are you ready?)

They were silent for the moment. The only sound was the rustling of the leaves as a wind swept through the trees, blowing through Kenshin's scarlet hair and Hiko's cloak. A second later that was gone too, as if the wind itself was holding its breath to see what master and apprentice were about to do. Everything was still…

Hiko's eyes flashed and he darted forward, followed seconds later by Kenshin. They got closer and closer when suddenly – they vanished! Harry gasped. He wasn't the only one either. Where on earth did they go! He whipped his head round, trying to look for them.

"Where'd they go?" gasped Ron.

Squinting, he tried to make out any sign of them, like he would if he was looking for a snitch. That's when he saw them and gasped.

"Up there!"

Both the fighters had leapt into the air, but Kenshin was higher up than Hiko and brought swung his sword down as he began to descend.

"Ryutsuisen!"

Hiko swept up his sword as he rose. "Ryushosen!"

The sword connected with a loud keening sound that tore through the paddock, vibrating through the air with metallic waves that made the hidden wizards wince. Both Kenshin and Hiko seemed to hover for a moment, but Kenshin was overpowered and thrown back. Harry opened his mouth to yell, but choked it off as Kenshin flipped in the air and landed like a cat as he bent his knees into the impact.

"Woah…!" The twins gasped.

Hiko landed seconds later, light as a feather, and once more they dashed forward.

Hiko brought round his sword and Kenshin brought up his to block it, sending him skidding back several inches, but he managed to keep his feet. He did a back flip back as Hiko swung down his sword, landed and pushed from the floor, bringing up his sakabato at the same time, but Hiko spun away, bringing round his sword at the same time. Harry saw as Kenshin's eyes widen in shock as the sword bore down on him and he managed to duck and roll away as Hiko swept out his leg at Kenshin's unprotected side.

"That's unfair!" Ron growled out, but Harry and the twins clapped their hands over his mouth, staring at the two fighters wide-eyed as Kenshin leapt to his feet again, but neither, thankfully, had heard the Ron's voice.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed and he dashed forward, striking the ground with his sword, Shooting dirt, grass and rocks towards the older man, who met it with the same attack, effectively neutralising it. But when the ground settled, Kenshin was gone.

"Where'd he go this time?" George asked, looking round.

Harry would have missed him too if it wasn't for his training as a seeker. "There!"

Kenshin was once more airborne, and brought down his sword in a way that Harry knew if it was a real sword in his hands than his sakabato, he would have sliced Hiko in two. But Hiko was fast and brought up his sword to meet the attack. Kenshin's eyes widened a fraction as he was caught in mid air. Hiko smirked and shoved down hard.

Kenshin yelled as he as thrown down into the floor, not enough time to land on his feet and crashed, skidding across the ground.

"Kenshin!" The group cried in horror, jumping to their feet.

Suddenly something hissed through the air and the invisibility cloak was wrenched from their shoulders. They all froze and gasped in alarm as something hit the tree behind them hard. Harry spun round to discover a sword vibrating in the tree behind them, the cloak skewered by the blade and still fluttering from the force of the impact. Harry felt himself shivering – the blade, if it had been only millimetres lower, would have sliced open his head. A jittery feeling in his stomach, Harry swallowed hard and, slowly, turned round.

Hiko was straightening; his sword hand now empty as the weapon was now planted into the tree behind them, his eyes narrow and unreadable as they fixed on the small group. Harry felt himself freeze inside, petrified after watching that display. They had been so fast, unbelievably so, as if they weren't human, and this man had just sent a twelve-year-old crashing into the ground like a rock. He was…so ruthless!

Hiko's eyes scanned over them for a moment. "Come out here." He commanded coldly in English, causing everyone to flinch as if they had been hit. Ron's face had turned green and the twins looked pale, every one of their identical freckles stood out against chalky skin. Harry swallowed nervously, feeling butterflies in his stomach. Unable to refuse the command, they made their hesitant way forward and stood in the paddock, unable to meet those raptor-like onyx eyes. He looked at them for a moment, before walking passed them to where they had been, yanking his sword from the tree and sheathed it, grasping the cloak in one hand. He stalked back towards them, his cloak billowing out behind him in a way that even Snape, their bad-tempered potions master, had not yet managed, placing himself in front of them.

He held out the cloak, his face still stoic. "This would be an invisibility cloak that I've heard so much about?" he said coolly, causing the boys to flinch at the tone.

"Y-yes sir…" Harry managed, his voice nothing more than a rather unmanly squeak.

Hiko glared at them for a second, before looking over towards where Kenshin was lying with a small smirk. "Well, Idiot Apprentice, it seems that you were right for once and it wasn't just you slacking off on you ki training. Get up, we have company."

Kenshin sat bolt upright in shock, his eyes wide. "Oro!"

The boys jumped as well and stared back at Kenshin as Kenshin clambered to his feet slowly, their eyes wide. It was hardly a wonder: they had just seen Kenshin crashing into the ground in a way that would have rendered anyone else unconscious, if not sent them with a one-way ticket to the afterlife, while he had got up in seconds. Kenshin, on the other hand, was staring at them with shock that they were there in the first place, and embarrassed that they had seen him training and losing. He could feel them all gaping at him stunned and concerned.

"Harry-kun," he stuttered. "Ron-kun…George…Fred…I, uh…what are you doing here?"

Harry suddenly found he could talk again and exploded. "You just got pummelled into the floor and you ask us what we're doing here!" he yelled. "You could have got hurt!"

Kenshin blushed a little and looked at the floor in embarrassment. "I didn't get hurt much de gozaru…" he mumbled.

"It was a defensive fall," Hiko explained calmly. They all whipped round to stare at the Swordsmaster. "To use attacks such as the Ryutsuisen, you have to know how to fall." Suddenly, he smirked, sending Kenshin a sly side-glance. "If anything, My idiot apprentice should be a master of falling by now, the amount of time he's done it."

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelled, his face as red as his hair.

Hiko just smirked and ignored him, while Kenshin muttered something in Japanese under his breath. Somehow, Harry got the idea that it wasn't something very nice by the way the redhead was shooting dark glares at the large man. Hiko just ignored him (he didn't hold any illusions that Hiko hadn't heard at all – he spotted him glance at Kenshin, the corner of his mouth twitching in suppressed mirth.) Instead, he looked at the guilty four again.

"So, you decided you wanted to see the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu by watching us with this," he said, indicating the cloak in his hands. "An interesting tool, but Useless if you don't know how to stay silent using it. It was also dangerous and foolish, because if you might have got yourselves hurt if you had got much closer."

"Is it…really that dangerous…?" Ron managed, looking at Kenshin, whose bangs were now covering his eyes.

"Aa…it is."

Harry knew Kenshin wasn't lying – he had seen with his own eyes just how deadly the Hiten Mitsurugi was. It was just as Kenshin had said – It was a most deadly art form. Yes, Harry could call it an art form, because even in the heat of battle, it almost seemed like a dance.

…A dance with death.

Hiko looked at them hard for a moment. "You four had better go back to the house before your Mother thinks you have done something else stupid. Of course, I might just have to tell her anyway…"

Ron, Fred and George gaped at Hiko in horror and Harry grimaced, already knowing what was going through their heads after that yelling fit they had received when they had come to rescue him from the Dursleys. However, Hiko just smirked and threw the cloak back to Harry who fumbled with it as he tried to catch it. "Use that with better care, child." He said simply, before turning to Kenshin. "That's it for now."

Kenshin nodded, sheathing his sword that he had, somehow, managed to hold on to and bowed in Hiko's direction. "Hai shishou."

They all bolted, not wanting to give Hiko the chance to change his mind about it.

As they were walking back, Kenshin thought over what just happened. He guessed he should have known Harry and the others would try something like that, what with the suspicious ki Harry had only the other day. Still, he was surprised that they had done it. He was also surprised that Hiko had admitted that Kenshin had been right – he had teased Kenshin mercilessly about the not sensing Harry's Ki thing at the end of last year after he told him (though he left out just what they ended up doing. Kenshin vowed he was not going to tell anyone what he saw in the mirror of Erised that day. Never.) Not that Hiko was going to apologise or anything. Kenshin would probably die from shock if he did that.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as the twins said, "Kenshin…that was…amazing!"

Huh? Had he missed something? "Oro?"

"Those moves! They were so amazing!" Fred said excitedly.

"Just like art!" George said. Suddenly, they both clasped his hands.

"Please teach us some of your moves!" They begged. Harry and Ron gazed at him as well in awe.

"ORO!" Kenshin blurted out. He shifted uncomfortably under their stares, fiddling with the straps of his sakabato, his face blushing crimson. "I can't teach anyone!" he said finally. "I mean, I'm only in training myself, so I don't know where to start, and besides, its an ancient tradition in the Hiten Mitsurugi style that there is only one Master and One heir at any given time. I can't just go about breaking the rule. Hiko would literally kill me."

"Awwww…" Ron and the twins pouted, but Harry looked at Kenshin nervously. Kenshin could understand. After seeing what they could do, Harry most likely had an inkling of what Kenshin had known the first time he saw the man – that Hiko was deadly and ruthless when it came to his sword. Kenshin shivered a little and pushed back the memories that followed that thought.

"Sorry, but I can't teach you, de gozaru."

"Well, we could always ask Hiko," Ron said. The thought was met with silent, disbelieving stares. "All right, all right! Forget I said that."

"Still, we must salute you for that stunning performance, old chap," Fred said, his eyes shining.

"You must be one of the strongest swordsmen around!" added George.

Kenshin blinked at them, surprised, before shaking his head with a small smile. That wasn't what his master told him…

They reached the small yard and Kenshin spotted a few chickens being chased by one or two gnomes that had made their way back again. Ron pushed open the door of the Burrow and they went inside, Harry stuffing his invisibility cloak deep into his pocket. Kenshin winced as he remembered the rip from Hiko's sword in it. If he hadn't known Hiko was so good at what he did, Kenshin would have shouted at the man for putting their lives at risk, launching his blade like that. However, now all Kenshin could think of was that Hiko had just damaged an extremely expensive invisibility cloak. He just hoped that Harry wouldn't make them pay to have it fixed…

"Oh, are you finished practice Kenshin dear?"

Mrs Weasley turned round from the stove as the boys made their way inside, blinking in shock as she spotted the other boys coming in as well. "My word, you lot are up early, aren't you." She looked hard at her sons. "You haven't been causing Mr Hiko and Kenshin any trouble have you?"

The twin's eyes widened. "Mother! What a terrible thing to say!" Fred said, looking hurt.

"Don't you trust your own sons?" George asked in a choked voice. "I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked!"

Mrs Weasley sighed heavily and rubbed her temple with a hand, her eyes glinting dangerously. Kenshin decided he should save them all from a repeat of the day before. "Maa, maa, Weasley-dono. They came to watch my master and I practice this morning."

The dangerous look faded from her eyes. "Well, as long as they weren't disturbing you or anything."

"No, no, it was alright," he answered, flashing her his best disarming smile.

"That's alright then," Mrs Weasley said with a smile. "Well, breakfast should be ready soon, so just wait at the table," she turned back to the stove as she flicked her wand. Eggs began to break themselves on the side of the pan, tipping the contents into it before throwing themselves in the bin.

"Would you like the help, Weasley-dono?" asked Kenshin politely.

"Oh no, that's alright Kenshin. You just relax."

Kenshin nodded and followed the others to the table. As soon as he sat down, Fred and George rounded on him excitedly. "How do you do that!" exclaimed Fred.

"It's as if she can't get angry at you."

"Is it something to do with your sword style?"

"Teach us! We are not worthy!" they cried, dropping to their knees and bowing low to him over and over again while Ron and Harry burst out laughing at their antics. Kenshin blushed and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

It wasn't long before the most delicious smells came from the stove and they all dashed to their seats. Seconds later, Hiko arrived. Kenshin wondered why it had taken the man so long, but he decided not to say anything. Besides it was probably the only chance for Hiko to get any form of peace and quiet he enjoyed back on the mountain. For what must have been the one-hundredth time, Kenshin found himself wondering just why Hiko decided to come with him.

His musings were cut off when Ginny entered the room, but as soon as she set eyes on Harry, she let out a squeak, her face turned crimson and she looked round wildly. She turned even redder and edged into the room as if she was entering a lion's pit. Kenshin had never seen her act like that before.

"Oro? Ginny-dono?"

Ginny just blushed and sat as far away from Harry as possible, but almost knocked over the sugar bowl in the process. It was only due to Hiko's reflexes that it didn't clatter to the floor. However, Only Harry (who pretended not to), Hiko (who was smirking, his eyes dancing with mirth) and himself seemed to notice, as just then, Mrs Weasley looked out the window to see the form of two owls flying towards the house. "Oh, it looks like Mika and Errol are back." She said.

Kenshin watched as the two owls got closer and closer to the window, when suddenly –

BANG!

Errol slammed head first into the shut side of the window, just as Mika flew through the open one, causing Ron to smack his head on the table, Mrs Weasley to look shocked and the rest of the to roar with laughter into their cereal. Seconds later, the old owl flitted onto the windowsill as if nothing had happened.

"That bloody bird!" Ron growled as he stormed over to untie the letter from his leg, while Harry and the twins attempted to control their giggles. (1)

Mika just stood still and proud, as if trying to tell Kenshin that she was much better than the old moulting feather duster. Kenshin just chuckled and took the letter from her leg. It was from Kaoru and Sanosuke by the look of the handwriting. Kenshin opened it while Harry and Ron leaned over his shoulder to see what they had to say.

_Dear Kenshin, Ron and Harry, if you got there alright, _(it started in Kaoru's neat handwriting)

_I hope that you guys are alright and nothing went wrong. I can't believe that the Dursley's would do such a thing, but I hope you were careful and you didn't get hurt._

**_I can't believe you did something like this without me!_ **(The handwriting switched to Sanosuke's lazy scrawl) **_I can't believe you were so selfish and taking all the good fights again. I though we said we weren't going to do that any more, Kenshin! Do it again and I swear I'll-_**

_Anyway!_ (What Sanosuke would do was cut off with a squiggle) _we've been really worried. Hermione sounded a little frantic, so I guess you'll hear from her soon. Please could you send us an owl back if everything goes alright-_

_**And if it hasn't, send us an owl and I'll make 'em let him go with my fists!**_

_Sanosuke, stop writing on my letter! Get your own!_

**But it's so much easier this way, Jou-chan-**

_Freeloader!_

It went on like this for a while. They could almost see the two arguing over the quill, which had Kenshin and the others laughing at the mental images. Finally, it seemed like Kaoru won, (a pummelled rooster-head came to mind) as Kaoru got control of the quill again.

_But anyway, Hermione, Sanosuke and I made arrangements to go to Diagon alley next Wednesday to get our books and everything. If you can, meet us there!_

_Let us know soon, alright?_

_Kaoru_

_**And Sano**_

"Hermione mentioned that as well," Ron said, holding up the letter that came with Errol. Harry and Kenshin glanced at that as well and smothered laughs as they saw the comment about Errol and getting another owl. Kenshin thought that would be rather mean to do so.

"Well, that fits in nicely," said Mrs Weasley as she held up several more envelopes, complete with familiar purple seal of an eagle, lion, serpent and badger and emerald green handwriting on the front. "Your letters came today with the equipment. Dumbledore already knows Kenshin and Harry are here – doesn't miss a trick, that man. So we can all go and get your things together."

Kenshin and the others took their letters, broke the seal and began to read through them. The first letter told the date and time that they would catch the Hogwarts express from Kings-Cross station. The second letter told them all the books they would need for the term. Kenshin skim read the list and blinked. Apart from The standard book of Spells, Grade Two by Miranda Goshawk, the other seven books all seemed to have been written by the same person.

"Oro? Who is Gilderoy Lockhart?"

TBC

_Chosha's notes_

_Woah! That was a long chapter! I hope you enjoyed the long awaited spar scene! Anyway, to business…_

_I'm not sure if the Japanese phrases used were correct, but they are accurate to my knowledge. I put the meaning of what they said next to the words, just to make life easier for you! Just because Harry and the others don't know what they said, doesn't mean you don't have to. If you want any translations to any Japanese I have used before now, please tell me._

_This was actually an adaptation from part of the movie of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but I couldn't leave it out. Its just too funny (oh well, simple things for simple minds…)_

_Anywho, if you can find anything you want to comment on, question, criticise (in a constructive way, of course) then please inform me and I will do my best to answer._

_Next time on RKatCoS:_

_Kenshin, Hiko, Harry and the Weasley head off to Diagon alley, but something goes wrong and Harry goes missing! Next episode: Floo Fowl-ups!_

_But until that time, Ja ne!_

_Chosha Kurenai xXx_


	7. Chapter 7

Chosha's Notes Heya! Welcome back to RkatCoS. Look, I'm very sorry about the lateness of this update. Normally, now its holiday time, you'd think I'd be able to get this up faster, but nooooooo. The thing is, my dad will not allow the Internet at home, So I can only get to it if my sister is feeling generous. Then there is the fact I have a new part-time job that has me working at odd hours, so I can't sped much time on the stories. I'm still, however, going to try my hardest at bringing you my chapters, as I refuse to put things on Hiatus. So, please, forgive me. 

Anyway, that out of the way, I have a small note to add about last time, when I used Japanese particles in the spar match. The 'wo' in one was a source of confusion, but It is actually not a miss-type. I looked it up, just to make sure. The particle 'wo' is actually said after the use of a noun or pronoun. As it says in my Collins English-Japanese dictionary. Just to clear that up. I have been asked to type up a Japanese-English translation for the Japanese I've used in this. Well, I've complied. Translations will be found at the end of this chapter!

Oh, yeah…one last thing. I …ahem… miss-spelt the chapter title last time. I typed 'Floo Fowl-ups', instead of 'Floo Foul-ups'. Just to tell you, there's nothing to do with birds in this! Damn…I feel like a dunce…

Anyway, you've been patient, so please, go on and read the new chapter.

Disclaimer: This story is Fanfiction only. Therefore the rights to Rurouni Kenshin and Harry Potter are reserved by their respective owners, these being Nobuhiro Watsuki and JK Rowling. RuroKen and the Chamber of Secrets, and the rest of the RuroKen Potter series (see RKatPS) are not intended as infringement on those copyrights.

Last time on RkatCoS

Harry and the younger Weasley boys go to watch Kenshin spar with Hiko, but are caught. Later they made arrangements with Hermione, Kaoru and Sanosuke to meet in Diagon alley in a week's time.

Chapter Seven Floo Foul-ups 

When the following Wednesday arrived Kenshin and Hiko walked into the Burrow after practice to find the Weasleys and Harry all up and sitting around the table ready and waiting for Mrs Weasley to serve them bacon sandwiches. Mrs Weasley looked up as they walked in and smiled warmly, despite the slightly surprised expression on the boy's face.

"Ah, Kenshin, Seijuro. You're finished your practice? Sit down then and get yourselves some breakfast."

"Hai, Weasley-dono," Kenshin replied and settled himself between Harry and Percy, resting his sakabato on the floor beside him. He flashed Harry a small smile. "You're all up early, aren't you."

"Yeah," Harry said as he took a bacon sandwich offered by Mrs Weasley. "We're going to Diagon alley today to get our things for Hogwarts, so Mrs Weasley got us up early so we could get everything done."

"Aa, I see," Kenshin said, before saying a quick thank you to Mrs Weasley as she loaded his plate with food. "How exactly are we getting to London anyway?" he asked.

Harry hesitated. "Err…" he looked at Ron questioningly.

Ron, who had been busy trying to eat as much of his bacon sandwich as he could in one go paused and blinked as he noticed both boys looking at him, before it dawned on him that they were waiting for him to answer the question. "Huh? Oh! Floo powder, I think Mom said."

Kenshin covered a slight grimace. Floo powder, he had to say, was not one of his favourite modes of transportation, he had decided after his last journey. However, Harry just looked confused.

"Uh…Floo powder?"

Kenshin blinked, before he remembered that Harry had never travelled via a fireplace before. He had to be just as confused as Kenshin had been when Mr Weasley came to fetch them from Hiko's hut. But before Kenshin could open his mouth and explain to Harry what Ron was talking about, Mrs Weasley was calling them over to the fireplace, where she was looking in a flower pot with the strange, silvery dust at the bottom. As they approached, Kenshin heard her muttering to Mr Weasley that they were running a little low.

"We'll have to buy some more today… ah well, guests first!" Mrs Weasley turned to Harry brightly and held the flowerpot out to him. "After you, Harry dear!"

Harry stared at the flowerpot as if it was about to leap out of Mrs Weasley's hands and bite him, before looking at everyone in confusion. "W-what am I supposed to do?"

Kenshin decided to save him. "Weasley-dono, I think that Harry hasn't travelled by Floo Powder before. He won't know what to do." He turned to Harry apologetically. "I'm sorry, I should have said something earlier, de gozaru."

Before Harry could answer, Mr Weasley spoke up. "Never travelled by Floo? But how did you get to Diagon Alley last year?"

"I went on the underground –"

"Really?" Mr Weasley said excitedly, his eyes sparkling. "Where there _escapators_? How exactly –"

Hiko slapped a hand to his forehead. "Baka…" he mumbled in Japanese, while Mrs Weasley scolded her husband before worrying over Harry about their travel arrangements. Kenshin glanced at him, hoping that Hiko was going to keep it at that.

"He'll be alright, Mom," Fred interjected. "I mean, Kenny here did just fine his first time."

"Surprisingly"

"Shishou!" Kenshin exclaimed indignantly. Hiko just smirked.

Fred turned to Harry with a grin. "Harry, you watch us first."

With that he took a pinch of the floo powder from the flowerpot and stepped into the fire, tossing the sand into the fire where the flames licked it up and roared as it leapt high and turned emerald green. Harry stepped back in surprise, but Kenshin stayed still, however much he still felt the flames might become out of control. Fred stepped straight into the fire and shouted "Diagon Alley!" before the flames swallowed him and he vanished. Mr and Mrs Weasley began telling Harry advice in travelling by floo powder as George vanished after Fred, but the poor boy was looking more and more confused.

Finally it seemed that Mrs Weasley was just fretting herself and Mr Weasley put a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss. Here you go, Kenshin." He added, passing Kenshin the flowerpot.

However, Mrs Weasley wasn't going to be so easily deterred. "But, dear, if he got lost, how would we ever explain it to his aunt and uncle?"

Somehow, Kenshin thought they would find it hilarious.

"They won't mind," harry reassured her, immediately proving Kenshin's silent point. "Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if I got lost up a chimney, don't you worry."

Mrs Weasley hesitated. "Well…all right…you go after Kenshin and Seijuro."

"Come on, Baka Deshi," Hiko drawled. "We don't have all day."

Kenshin tore his attention away from Harry and the Weasley's convocation, blushing slightly as he took a little of the powder and tossed it into the flames. Once more the jumped higher than Hiko and turned a bright emerald as it waited for him to step in and state his destination. Taking a deep breath to prepare him-self, Kenshin stepped into the flames. Tilting his head a little to stop any ash getting into his mouth, he shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and the room began to spin fast, before whipping out of sight as the flames sucked him away.

The blurred flashes of other fireplaces made him feel ill, but Kenshin forced himself to keep his eyes squinted open so he would have some warning of when he was about to stop. It wasn't long – or at least, compared to the first time he used the Floo Network – until he felt himself slowing down and prepared himself. His feet struck the ground hard. However, instead of having to roll, Kenshin folded neatly into a defensive crouch, as he would when finishing a Ryutsuisen, one hand splayed against the stone lightly for balance. Feeling a little dizzy, Kenshin moved himself out of the way for when Hiko arrived.

He was immediately met by the identical twins. "Nice of you to join us, Kenny!" Fred said brightly. "We were wondering what was taking so long."

"Was Mom fretting over Harry?" asked George with a grin.

"Just a little bit," admitted Kenshin as he lent on a scrubbed wooden table, glancing around at where he had ended up.

He had arrived at some sort of inn. It was pretty dark, even though it was sunny outside the small dusty windows and was lit by candles. The pub of the inn was quite busy, but the people looked very odd. A large group wore a strange set of robes, one woman smoked on a pipe that was releasing blue bubbles and smelt of peppermint. The bar area itself was a little shabby too… In fact, he realised as he looked around - it looked sort of familiar. Kenshin frowned a little as he looked around. Suddenly it hit him. This had to be the Leaky Cauldron, the inn at the entrance to Diagon alley – the inn that Hagrid, the large gamekeeper at Hogwarts, had lead Hiko and himself to on his first day in the wizarding world.

A 'whoosh' from behind him broke through his thoughts and Kenshin glanced round to find that Hiko was now walking out of the fireplace, gaining a few strange looks from the customers before they turned back from whatever they were doing. Hiko, however, ignored them and only gave Kenshin a smirk and a raised eyebrow as his eyes travelled over the redhead's clothing. Blinking, Kenshin glanced down and blushed as he realised that his clothes were covered in soot. He tentatively began to bat the soot away in vain.

It wasn't long before Ginny, with Ron close behind came stumbling out of the fireplace, soon followed by Percy, Mrs Weasley and lastly, Mr Weasley.

"My word, the fireplace is so dusty today," Mrs Weasley muttered as she search her handbag and pulled out a small hand brush. "Come here Ron, dear," And to Ron's horror, she grabbed him and began to dust him off with the brush.

"Mom! Gerroff!" Ron squirmed as he attempted to pry himself from his mother's grip futilely. The twins snickered.

Kenshin looked expectantly at the fireplace again. However, the fire seemed to have settled down into its ordinary orange-coloured flames, so it seemed that no one else was going to be coming through at any point in the near future. Kenshin frowned as he looked around the sea of ginger heads, but it seemed that one member of the group was missing.

Quietly, Kenshin glanced over at Hiko, who seemed to have a slight frown on his face too. Obviously, Kenshin wasn't the only one to have spotted the missing presence. "Shishou…Where's Harry?"

Immediately, the Weasley's fell silent, looking over at the two Asians, Mrs Weasley pausing in mid brush.

"You mean…he's not come through here?" Ron gasped.

"Just Kenny and Hiko," George said. "I thought he was with you?"

"You don't think he said it wrong, do you?" asked Mrs Weasley, her face tense with worry.

"Say, brother mine," Fred said with a grin. "Where do you think he came out?"

"Bet you a galleon that he came out in Knockturn alley," George said with a grin.

"Cool, I always wanted to go there! (Lucky bugger.) You're on!" Fred said, clasping George's hand.

"Done!"

"Boys, this is serious!" Mr Weasley scolded. "Besides, you're far too young for gambling."

"Ah, nuts." The twins grumbled.

"Oh, the poor boy, what if he got stuck somewhere! He must be so scared." Mr Weasley fretted. Ron rolled his eyes.

"The guy faced you-know-who on his own last year, and mom thinks he'll be scared about being stuck somewhere?" he muttered under his breath, earning him a rather hard stare from Percy. Kenshin sweat-dropped.

"It's typical that you would make friends with a boy who is even more trouble-prone than you are, Baka Deshi," Hiko sighed, rubbing his forehead with a hand as Mrs Weasley continued to fret. Kenshin could understand the woman's worry, but this wasn't helping out Harry in any way. Obviously, Hiko thought so to, because he interrupted. "Instead of standing around here, why don't we go and look for him? Any clues as to where he might be, because I doubt that he's stuck in the chimney. My deshi would have done that."

Why was Kenshin not surprised that Hiko added that snide comment in there? He sighed.

"Well…He did say 'Deagon alley', or something similar, so he can't have gone too far," Mr Weasley mused.

"Oh, I do hope that he only went one grate over…" Mrs Weasley murmured, as she twisting her hand-brush in her hands with worry.

"Alright then, lets split up and meet outside Gringotts when we find him." Hiko said before heading off towards the back yard of the inn, where the entrance of Diagon alley was. "Well, what are you waiting for, Baka deshi? Get out that magic stick of yours and open the door."

Kenshin jumped before emitting a quick "Hai, Shishou!" and scampering after his master. Hurriedly, he pulled out his wand and, after a moment's pause to remember the 'code' of the bricks, he tapped them lightly with its tip. The wall wiggled and the bricks pulled back; rolling into the archway of the entrance. The street was busy and bustling with people. Kenshin looked at the sea of heads worriedly. He seriously hoped that it wouldn't hinder them, especially trying to find such a small boy as Harry in this crowd. It would be like trying to find a short needle in a stack of needles.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Kenshin focused and attempted to reach out for Harry's Ki.

_Damn it, how are you mean to pick out one ki when there were so many in one place?_ Kenshin griped mentally. It looked like Kenshin would have to relay on his eyes and ears for this. He just hoped that Hiko, with the advantage of being much taller than just about everyone else, would have more luck.

"Well, deshi, don't just stand there. Get going. This is your friend – go find him." Hiko said.

"N-Nani!" Kenshin exclaimed.

"Well, you can't exactly expect me to look on my own, can you? (Although I could probably find him faster on my own with how bad you are with your ki-sense still.) So go and search over that way."

"Hai, shishou." Kenshin said, sighing with relief. That made sense. He thought Hiko meant that he wasn't going to help at all. Jeez, if he meant that, why didn't he just say that in the first place? Hiko gave Kenshin a nod of acknowledgement and, turning on his heel, his cloak billowing out behind him, disappeared into the crowd, leaving Kenshin blinking behind him. Shaking his head, he began to weave his way through the crowds in another direction, narrowing his eyes in concentration as he tried to spy Harry, occasionally stretching out to sense any familiar ki. After a few minutes, however, he stopped outside Eeylops Owl Emporium having gained nothing more than a sore throat from asking after Harry or trying to get through the crowds, a few bruises and a headache from being bombarded with so many ki.

There was absolutely no way he was going to find Harry like this!

Panting a little to try and get his breath back, Kenshin glanced round for any ideas of finding Harry, when his eyes landed on the roof. Kenshin straightened slightly, inspiration forming as his eyes took in the sight. The roof was tiled, shaped like an upside-down 'V' and looked rather sturdy. Kenshin smiled. Now, that gave him an idea! If he was too short to see through the crowds, then he just needed to get over them.

Looking around to make sure no one watching, Kenshin edged back towards the side of the building between the owl Emporium and Quality Quidditch supplies. Everyone seemed to be busy going about his or her own business. Well, that was fine by him. Glancing one more time, Kenshin bent his knees slightly and leapt high into the air, landing lightly on the ridgepole with a small 'tap' as his sandals touched the tiles. With a slight pause to gain balance, he began to run lightly along the roof so that anyone looking up could only make out a slightly red blur. Now he could see over the crowds and his ki sense was no longer being bombarded by hundreds of other ki. Scanning the crowds as he ran, he spotted Mrs Weasley looking very flustered as she flitted around in her search, Ron and Ginny being dragged along behind her. He sensed Fred, George and Mr Weasley somewhere close as he leapt onto the roof of Ollivanders wand shop. However, he didn't see or sense Harry anywhere near – hang on…

Kenshin skidded to a halt, stretching out his ki-sense as far as he could get it. He had felt a slight peak in ki – a ki that was familiar. Kenshin's heart leapt. Harry! Kenshin sighed in relief. So Mr Weasley was right when he said that he couldn't have gone more than a grate or two over. Kenshin leapt down from the roof and sprinted across to the place that he had felt Harry's Ki coming from. However, he wasn't the only one who had the same idea as him. As Kenshin came close, the large, cloaked form of Hiko looked round and smirked. Kenshin stuttered to a halt.

"Shishou? Why are you…"

"Don't you think that I wouldn't be able to sense your friend's ki, baka," he said, rolling his eyes. He smirked again. "Well then, perhaps your ki-sense isn't as bad as you let it on to be, baka Deshi," he commented dryly.

Kenshin felt himself blush a little at the comment, but decided not to rise to the bait and instead glanced round Hiko to see where Harry's ki had come from and felt his heart sink immediately. Well, there was one thing he could say for this place, and it wasn't that it was a nice, safe and pretty place, either.

The place called Knockturn Alley, as an old, wooden street-sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him, was dark, dingy and narrow. Even the sun seemed to refuse to shine its rays to lighten the place up. It wound and twisted its way round rundown-looking shops that seemed to sell things that screamed dark arts, twisting its way out of sight round the dusty, shaded buildings. There were very few people down there and all seemed to have a slightly shifty look to them. It reminded him a little of the way their previous DADA Professor, Quirrell, looked, once he had dropped his nervous, stuttering persona, deep down in the flame room at the end of his last term at Hogwarts. He barely suppressed a shiver.

"It looks like the boy is even more of a baka than you are to come down a place like this," Hiko commented dryly, the words softened slightly by the slight frown on his face. Despite what his master said, Kenshin realised with a start; Hiko was actually worried for Harry. Kenshin almost felt himself seeing Hiko in a new light…until he suddenly found himself being pushed forward.

"Oro?"

"Just standing there isn't going to help your friend, deshi," Hiko said shortly. His expression hardened slightly, stepping forward as his hand strayed to the sheath of his katana. "Keep your Sakabato loose and stay on your guard."

Kenshin nodded in understanding, loosening the hilt of his sword from its sheath with a thumb. "Hai."

Cautiously, Kenshin followed his master down the alley, his muscles tense, as if ready for battle, and his ki-sense on high alert for any danger that might be hidden within the shadowy corners of the winding alley. It almost seemed to become darker as the walked further in. People leered over at them, only hurrying away when Hiko glared at them, or seeing the swords clasped in their hands ready to strike out, slinking back into the darkness like wraiths. The quiet was setting Kenshin's nerves on edge and with every drip of water, or pebble scuffed, he almost drew his sword. The only reason he hadn't thus far was because he couldn't bear to think what Hiko would tease him with if he did. Taking a deep breath to try and steady himself, he continued to follow Hiko and the familiar pulse of Harry's ki.

He almost jumped when he heard someone saying, "Not lost are you, my dear?" somewhere up ahead. Hiko halted, almost causing Kenshin to walk into him. Carefully, he peered round his master's large form. He almost gasped with relief.

There in front of them stood Harry, his round glasses broken and held onto his face with one hand, his clothes soiled with soot, backing away from a hideous looking woman, leering at him with mossy teeth. He looked rather scared. Who wouldn't be, stuck down this alley and with some sort of hag advancing on you with what looked like a tray of Human fingernails?

"Harry!" he yelled.

Harry's head snapped over towards them, relief spreading all over his face as if he'd just been saved from certain death. (To which, Kenshin reminded himself, he damn well could have been in such a cutthroat place like this.) The witch, on the other hand, jumped in sock at his yell, sending the nails cascading everywhere with a squawk. She snapped round, as if she was going to scream at Kenshin, but she stopped short as she saw Hiko striding towards her with his cloak billowing behind him, his sword in full view, ready and waiting to be drawn at a moment's notice in his lethal techniques. She backed away, terrified. It didn't matter if Hiko was Muggle or Magical, Nobody would want to try and face down someone like Hiko, who emitted an aura that said he would be just as calm and confident if he was striding over their prone corpses. Harry, on the other hand, looked cross between relief and fear at Hiko's imposing presence.

"This place isn't fit for a child to be down here, least of all you," Hiko said icily. "I thought you had a little more sense than that, boy."

"K-Kenshin! M-Mr Hiko! I was lost…the floo-powder…" Harry spluttered. Hiko, however, just grabbed Harry by the scruff of his neck and hauled him off his feet, slinging him over his back like a sack and walked back towards the exit, despite Harry's stuttering protests. (CK: Think how Kenshin carried Yahiko in the episode Kenshin saves him from Yakuza.) Kenshin winced at the rough treatment, quite used to that himself.

"Well, what are you standing around there for, Baka deshi? Hurry up." Hiko shouted over his shoulder. Kenshin jumped to attention, running after his master's retreating back.

"Coming, Shishou!"

It didn't take long until they walked out of the dark alley and Kenshin had to squint as he stepped into the bright streets of Diagon alley. As soon as they were a few metres in, Hiko dumped Harry unceremoniously on the floor. "I suggest a little more caution from you, child," He said shortly.

Kenshin immediately hurried over. "You could be a little more gentle, Shishou," he suggested. Hiko, however, just looked at Kenshin in amusement. The redhead sighed. Right, as if Hiko was going to listen to him anyway…He shook his head and instead decided to see if Harry was all right, helping to pull him to his feet. "Daijobu – I mean, are you all right, Harry? How on earth did you get down that place?"

"I told you, I got lost." Harry said, trying to fiddle about with his broken glasses, which refused to stay on his face. "It landed me in this place called Borgin and Burkes – what were you two doing down there?"

"Looking for you," Kenshin replied. "We saw you hadn't come through over at the Leaky cauldron, so we all split up to look for you. It's a good job you weren't wearing you're invisibility cloak, or we never would have found you, de gozaru!"

"And while this is all wonderful, that Weasley woman is fretting, so unless you want her to call the magical equivalent of whatever this world has for police, I suggest we go to our meeting point, idiot apprentice." Hiko interrupted, causing Kenshin and Harry to blush a little and they began to sprint after Hiko towards the white building of Gringotts looming up ahead. Kenshin sighed slightly, just glad that Harry was safe and not dead in a ditch somewhere. With any luck, they might e able to finish their shopping without any more problems.

…Too bad Kenshin's luck has never been all that good…

TBC

Chosha's notes 

Well, here we are at the end of another chapter. Now, before I comment on anything, I'm going to fulfil that little promise I made at the start of this chapter. Namely this:

**Japanese-English translations!**

Gi: a type of shirt that folds over on the front (think the tops that karate people use.)

Hakama: skirt-like trousers (think Aikido)

Shishou: Master teacher of sword arts

Katana: Japanese long-sword

Sakabato: a reverse-blade sword

Kata: set moves proscribed for kendo or kenjutsu training

Saya: a sword's sheath

Kenjutsu: sword arts. Has more traditional and thought to have more emphasis on realistic techniques than kendo. Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu is Kenjutsu

Oro: Kenshin's form of the Japanese 'Ara', which means something like 'huh'. Oro is also used as an exclamation of surprise or pain in Kenshin's case.

Obi: in this case, a type of belt on hakama.

Sake: rice-wine

Zori: straw-sandals that were worn by Japanese men

Fushuma: sliding doors

Baka: idiot

Deshi: apprentice/ student

Kami: god or deity

Iie: no

Hai: yes

-Chan: a suffix meaning little - i.e. "Little Yahiko" - or an endearment - as in "Dear So-and-so"

De gozaru: a suffix conjugation for "to be" or can be roughly translated as "...so says this humble person". An archaic form of the modern Japanese word of "desu"

Ki: a person's "life-force" or "aura"

Ano: "um…" or "uh…"

-Dono: a suffix that is more respectful than "-san", translated today as "lord/lady so-and-so"

Doryusen: "Earth-dragon strike" – a Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu technique that strikes the ground to send missiles at the opponent such as stones and bricks

Gomennasai: "I'm very sorry"

Maa, maa: a calming sound that means something like "Now, now, calm down"

Yo: how you say "!"

-Kun: a suffix used to male students, or a 'superior to inferior' form to indicate difference in status, as well as familiarity or affection. (Or, that's what the manga says...)

Aa: the male form of "yeah"

Battojutsu: "lethal sword drawing", also called "Iai", "Iaido" or "Nuki" in other kendo/kenjutsu styles. Kenshin's favoured technique in the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu from where the manga Kenshin gets his nickname "Battosai"

Yatta: Yay! (Something like that)

Ne: "right?"

Sessha: "this unworthy one", and archaic form of "I"

Baka na: stupid

Sumanai/Sumimasen: pardon me/ excuse me/ forgive me

Nani: what

Daijobu: "I'm alright", or "are you alright?" (Usually "ka" is at the end to voice a "?" in the latter, but not always)

-Sama: a suffix meaning "lord/lady" (or just used when addressing someone with whom you have a big crush – like with Misao and "Aoshi-sama")

Umaku. Yori yoi, Baka Deshi: "Alright. Better, idiot apprentice"

Ima, Suparingu no junbi wo suru, Deshi: "Now, prepare to spar, apprentice"

Yoi ga dekite iru ka: "Are you ready?"

Ryutsuisen: "dragon-hammer strike", a Hiten Mitsurugi technique that strikes from above.

Ryushosen: "dragon flight" or "rising-dragon strike", a Hiten Mitsurugi technique that brings the sword in an upward arc. Sort of the reverse of Ryutsuisen

Jou-chan: "missy" – Sanosuke's nickname for Kaoru

CK: Phew! That was a long part! I went back over the entire RkatCoS so far to find all the Japanese I'd used. But this means that unless I do something new, I won't have to think about this part again. If I do use any new bits of Japanese, be assured that I will add it on to the end of the chapter. Or you could check my other fic Meiji High Samurai, which has most of the things I use in my Japanese orientated fics at the end of the chapters anyway.

I don't think there's much to comment on. Kenshin didn't get lost with the floo as well as Harry, because he's already flooed once, so he's not likely going to mess up the second time, is he? Other than that…(shrugs) well, if you do see something to comment on, be my guest – please review. Actually, I want to know what you think anyway, so review just to tell me what you thought. Was it good? Was it bad? Just press that little button in the corner.

Next time on RkatCoS

Kenshin, Harry, Hiko and the Weasley's join up with Hermione, Sanosuke, Kaoru and another familiar face. But who the hell is that Burke at Flourish and Blotts? Next episode: Gilderoy

Ja ne, Minna-san! See you next time!

Chosha Kurenai xXx


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chosha's Notes**_

_Konnichiwa, Minna-san! Welcome back once again to RkatCoS. The chapter that people are looking forward too has now arrived. But before We begin, Just a note (or Two) to say. Firstly, Thank you everyone who reviewed. I never knew I was missed so much. It scared me a little when the first words on one review were 'WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU!' I flinched! Literally! I could mentally see it. I'm just glad that it wasn't a Howler you guys sent me. But I'm honestly flattered that you guys missed me._

_Secondly is that the Japanese translations on the last chapter was there because I hadn't done one before on this story, so this is why translations from words on other chapters appeared. I'm sorry it was reeeeaaaally long and all…but from now on I will only put a translation glossary at the end of the chapter for any words that were used in the one chapter alone._

_Well, anyway, now that that's settled, I'll give you guys what you want! Go forth and read the new chapter de gozaru yo!_

_Disclaimer: The tales of Rurouni Kenshin and Harry Potter are copyright of their respective owners and in no way is the Fanfiction of RKatCoS, nor RKatPS, an infringement of those rights._

_Last time on RkatCoS_

_Kenshin, Hiko, Harry and the Weasley's headed off for Diagon Alley, but when Harry said the name of the place wrong while using the Floo powder and goes missing, everyone split up to find him. Eventually, Kenshin and Hiko (using ki sense) found Harry stranded in Knockturn Alley and saved him._

**Chapter Eight**

**Gilderoy**

"Harry! Kenshin! Over here!"

They had almost reached the large, marble steps of the entrance to Gringotts – the place that they had arranged to meet the others once Harry had been found – when they heard someone yell there names.

The boys came to a halt, looking through the crowds of people to try and see where the yell had come from. They spun round to find a small group of people – most of who were about the same age as themselves – coming towards them. The first was Hermione Granger - a girl with slightly large front teeth and had an almost bossy look about her. Her thick, bushy brown hair flew out behind her as she ran.

The second, Kaoru Kamiya, was another girl, this one with blue-black hair tied back into a ponytail with a red ribbon. She, like Kenshin, was originally from Japan, but had moved to London only a few years before she started Hogwarts. Right now, she wore a rather pretty blue dress that reached her knees, but even though she looked rather feminine then, Kenshin knew that she could just as easily beat a boy in Kendo. Her father taught a style known as the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu, and Kaoru was training as assistant master. Although not as strong at Kenshin, she could definitely hold her own. She laughed as she noticed his eyes on her and waved, her sapphire eyes glittered jovially.

The third person was a boy, about a head or two taller than Kenshin and Harry, and seemed a little taller than Kenshin remembered last and a little more filled out. His deep brown hair standing up in all directions in a way that sort of reminded you of some kind of rooster. Although if you called Sanosuke Sagara that to his face, you could be sure that he wouldn't take too kindly to it. He grinned as he strode towards them. Kenshin blinked a little at his choice in style. He wore white trousers and a white, black-lined jacket over what looked like a black tank top. His usual bandanna was round his head, the tails of it flapping in the wind as he strode forward. A though this would most likely look impressive to some people, to Kenshin it made him look like a drop out of a bad Kung-fu movie. He sighed with a half smile. Sanosuke always did have something of a dramatic streak.

The last was a boy that Kenshin only vaguely recognise. A few years younger than the other three, he reached up to about Kenshin's chest in height. His dark hair was also a little like Harry's in the fact that it stood up in all directions. If Kenshin remembered right, this boy was named Yahiko Myojin – Kaoru's younger cousin.

Seeing they had got their attention, the rather strange group quickened their pace and hurried over to the two boys, grinning. Kenshin smiled back and Harry, somewhat awkwardly, as his glasses were still broken, waved happily in return. From near by, Kenshin heard Hiko sigh in annoyance, but stopped as well.

Hermione reached them first. "Oh, Harry, Kenshin, its wonderful to see you two again. Weren't you staying with Ron's family?"

"Yes, but we got a little split up, de gozaru," Kenshin said, trying not to glance at Harry who gave a slight, embarrassed cough. "We arranged to meet up at Gringotts, though.

"Hey, it's been a long time!" Kaoru said happily as they caught up. "We were hoping we didn't miss you, but somebody," she shot Sanosuke a sideways look, "decided to sleep in."

Sanosuke looked fairly indignant. "Oi, Jou-chan, I did not sleep in late. I would have been on time if you didn't steal my alarm clock."

"Me steal your alarm clock!" Kaoru growled, her eyebrow twitching. "It was my alarm clock in the first place! If you weren't such a freeloader, you should have got your own!"

"But, Jou-chan," Sanosuke wined, "I'm broke…"

Kenshin winced slightly and shared a small glance with Harry, before they both sighed. Thankfully, Hermione, who seemed to be just as perceptive as ever, saved them from the ensured argument.

"Harry, what on earth happened to your glasses?"

That succeeded in quieting them for a moment as they peered at Harry with interest. The raven-haired boy shuffled slightly in embarrassment. "Um…It happened when I came out of the floo…I didn't think it'd throw me face-first on the floor."

"First time floo, huh?" Sanosuke said with a rare show of sympathy. From the way he winced, Kenshin suspected that Sanosuke may have had the same problem of face planting the moment he got out of the network.

"Here," Hermione said, taking the glasses off Harry and pulling out her wand. "Reparo!" Immediately, the broken parts of his glasses jumped together, looking good as new. Kenshin jumped a little with surprise, staring at the bushy-haired witch. Hermione was well known for being a rather strict follower of the rules, and it just didn't add up that she had just done underaged magic outside of school. Hermione, however, didn't look phased by that staring and shrugged. "When your in a place full of Adult wizards and witches, although the ministry know magic has been used, they can't pinpoint who is doing it," she explained. "Besides, I think it must be better for Harry not to have to hold broken glasses, right?" with that, she handed Harry his glasses back. Quickly, he donned them.

With that done, she turned to look shyly at Hiko, who was standing a little out of the way, just within hearing-range (not that anyone but Kenshin knew that, of course.) Hiko, on the other hand, was looking over the crowds just in case the Weasleys returned. "Is that…this Hiko you told us about?" Hermione breathed, blushing a little.

Everyone turned to look, with varying reactions. They had all already seen Hiko once before at the train station at the end of Kenshin's first year at Hogwarts, though fleetingly. Sanosuke gave a long, low whistle, Kaoru was a little uncomfortable – She, having studied Kenjutsu knew a little about a style such as the Hiten Mitsurugi like any true Kendo fanatic, and most likely knew more about Hiko's position as the style's master than the others. Yahiko looked fairly impressed.

"Woah!" he exclaimed. "He huge!"

Kenshin smiled at the reactions. "Yes, that's my master for you."

Hiko took this moment to glance over and smirk a little at Kenshin with a raised eyebrow. Kenshin looked back innocently, knowing that Hiko knew that Kenshin knew his master could still hear the convocation. Hermione, near by, just blushed.

Before they could do much else, a yell caught their attention. Hiko smiled a little. "Looks like those friends of yours finally found us, Idiot Student," He smirked to Kenshin as he walked up to them. They spun round to find, sprinting up the crowded street, were Ron, Fred, George, Percy and Mr Weasley, who was looking rather red-faced and out of breath.

"Harry," Mr Weasley panted as he reached them. "We hoped you had only gone one grate too far…" he mopped up his sweating bald patch, trying to catch his breath. "Molly's frantic – she's coming now."

"Where'd you come out?" Ron asked Harry.

"Some place called Knockturn alley," Hiko answered for him, a slightly sour look on his face.

"Brilliant!" Sanosuke said, impressed. With a grin, George held out a hand. Fred grimaced, but handed his twin over a Galleon.

"We've never been allowed in," Ron added, sounding a little envious. Kenshin grimaced a little.

"I wouldn't want to go down there again, de gozaru yo!" he said with conviction.

"You went down there too?" asked Fred, sounding impressed. At Kenshin's hesitant nod, Fred slapped him heartily on the back. "Good on ya, Kenny!"

Kenshin watched as George handed Fred the Galleon back, muttering under his breath as Fred pocketed it with a grin. Kenshin just shook his head at their antics. Mr Weasley gave them a withering look.

Mrs Weasley suddenly appeared through the crowd, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, while poor Ginny was literally being dragged behind her like a rag doll. The Weasley matriarch looked just about ready to throw her arms around Harry. Harry looked just about ready to bolt.

"Oh, Harry – oh, my dear – you could have been anywhere-"

Gasping for breath, she pulled out the large hand-brush from her bag and began to dust off the soot from his clothes, while Harry blushed a little. Once Harry was clean of dust, she turned to Hiko, her eyes imploring. "Where on earth did you find him, Seijuro?"

"Knockturn alley," Mr Weasley said grimly.

Mrs Weasley whipped round; her eyes the size of plates in horror at the name her husband had supplied, before she grasped Hiko's hand. ""Knockturn alley! If you hadn't found him, Seijuro!" Kenshin knew it was a little mean of him, especially after such a scare, but Kenshin had to hold back a fit of giggles at the rather annoyed look on Hiko's face while Mrs Weasley wrung his hand in thanks. Finally, it looked like Hiko had had enough and extracted his hand from Mrs Weasley's.

"Yes, well the boy's safe – though my apprentice also helped out –" he turned a smirk to Kenshin, who now found himself in Mrs Weasley's vice grip. Kenshin just knew he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to get Kenshin involved to tease him about it later. He found himself mentally restraining himself from yelling something Mrs Weasley definitely wouldn't approve of at his shishou, and instead let the woman fret over him. ("You went down Knockturn alley – you could have got yourself hurt, Kenshin!") "But I think it would be best to start on why we actually came here now, before the sun sets us on fire," he added, after Kenshin had suffered enough of the woman's ministrations.

"Yes, yes, of course," Mrs Weasley said, finishing off smoothing down Kenshin's gi, much to Kenshin's discomfort. They started heading over towards the large, pearly white building that was Gringotts bank. As they walked, Kenshin grumbled, "I hate you, shishou. You did that on purpose." He accused.

Hiko just chuckled.

"Hey, guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry was saying to the others. Kenshin quickly turned his attention to them. "Malfoy and his father."

"Malfoy?" Yahiko asked, frowning. He looked at his cousin. "Isn't he that little twerp from Slytherin you told me about, Kaoru?"

Almost everyone burst out laughing at that description. "Yeah, that the one," Sanosuke chuckled.

"Hey, whose that little kid, anyway?" asked Ron, looking pointedly at Yahiko.

"Don't call me little!" exploded Yahiko.

Sanosuke grinned. "But that description fits you perfectly, Yahiko-chan."

Kenshin was sure that if he looked closely enough, he could almost see steam coming out of the younger boy's ears. "Don't calm me Chan, you stupid rooster! I'm the first apprentice of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu and don't you forget it!"

That surprised him. "He's a student at your kendo dojo?" Kenshin asked Kaoru. Kaoru nodded.

"Yeah. He used to get bullied at school, so dad and me started to teach him kendo. He's got potential, but he just wont listen to me, even though I'm his sensei too!" she added with a growl, glaring daggers at the other boy.

Yahiko twiddled a finger in his ear. "Yeah, but who'd listen to an ugly tanuki like you anyways?"

"Yahiko!"

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" interrupted Mr Weasley, preventing the impending argument between Kaoru and her younger cousin, much to Kenshin's relief. He had been afraid he would have to split them up himself!

Harry contemplated for a minute, then shook his head. "No, he was selling." He said after a moment.

Mr Weasley looked gleeful. "So he's worried," he said with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…"

His wife looked at him sharply. "You be careful, Arthur," she interrupted, as they were ushered into the bank by a goblin, a little shorter than Kenshin, bowing them through the door. "That family's trouble, don't go biting more off than you can chew."

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" Mr Weasley questioned, sounding positively indignant at the thought. However, he cut off when he spotted Hermione's parents, whom where standing nervously at the counter in front of them, waiting for Hermione to introduce them to her friends.

"Oh, this is my Mom and Dad," Hermione said to them. "Mom, Dad, these are my friends Ron, Harry, Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke. That's Kaoru's cousin, Yahiko, and that's Kenshin's guardian - Mr Hiko. Everyone else is Ron's Family, the Weasleys."

Mr Weasley's face switch from dark to delight in a second. "But you're muggles!" Mr Weasley said Jovially, "just like Seijuro. We must have a drink!" he spotted the sterling clutched in Mr Granger's hand. "What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" he pointed excitedly at the ten-pound notes. Mrs Weasley sighed exasperated, while Mr Granger muttered something to his daughter about the man's sanity. Kenshin sweat-dropped.

"Hey, we'll meet you lot back here," Ron said to Hermione, Kaoru, Yahiko and Kenshin as Harry, Sanosuke and the Weasleys (Mr Weasley dragged off by his ear by an annoyed looking Mrs Weasley) were led off towards their vaults by a goblin.

"See you," Kaoru waved cheerfully.

Kenshin looked around once more, but didn't see anyone resembling Kaoru's father. "So, do you both come on your own?" Kenshin asked after a moment.

"Yeah," Kaoru said with a slight sigh. "Dad was a little busy, you know, with the dojo, so Mr and Mrs Granger offered to picked us up. Sanosuke tagged along too, freeloader," she added under her breath.

"Well, lets get our money changed then, Apprentice," Hiko said to Kenshin.

"Yes master."

Kenshin remembered what they did during their first year at Hogwarts. Hagrid had taken them to Gringotts, where he had got the Goblins to change the yen that Kenshin had got from selling Hiko's pottery to the magical money of Knuts, Sickles and Galleons. During the summer, Hiko had saved some of the money they had made from his pottery (and not spent on sake) for exchange, rather than the rush that they had in selling off the pottery at the last minute. So they followed Mr and Mrs Granger, Hermione, Kaoru and Yahiko to the counter near the end of Gringotts long hall, where a hulking Goblin was inspecting a rather large diamond under a spyglass.

Mr and Mrs Granger looked rather disturbed to say the least.

"Um, excuse me," Hermione said, trying to get the goblin's attention. The Goblin looked up and looked at them through the small spyglass, before his eyes narrowed and he pulled it away from his eye.

"Yes?"

"We need to exchange muggle money for wizarding money," Hiko said after a moment, when it looked like Hermione had lost her tongue at the goblin's sharp gaze. Its eyes flew back towards Hiko.

"And what kind of Muggle money is it to be exchanged?" the goblin asked after a moment of staring.

"S-Stirling, sir," Kaoru said.

"The same," added Mr Granger, patting Mrs Granger's hand comfortingly.

"Yen, sir," interjected Kenshin, earning a slightly surprised look from the Grangers.

"Very well," the goblin said. "I need to see the amount to be exchanged."

Mr Granger placed his wad of notes on the desk, which the Goblin shifted through at lightning speed before scribbling something down on a piece of parchment with a deep, crimson quill. The same for Kaoru and then the same for Hiko, after he pulled the envelope out of his cloak.

Hermione, however, looked at Kenshin in surprise. "Why is your money in Yen?" she asked confused.

"I'm from Japan," Kenshin said, a little surprised by the question.

Hermione frowned a little bit. "How come you don't go to one of the schools in Japan, then?" clearly, the fact that he hadn't confused her. "I mean, the Seiryoku academy for sorcery is meant to have a very good reputation… its strange that you didn't go there. I don't think it's happened before – at least that's what Hogwarts: a history says."

Kenshin felt a little uncomfortable about that. "Well, I was told that the Japanese school takes students from a very young age, and don't take later starters. I think my orphanage was a little poor and I wouldn't have been able to go…"

"Hn," Hermione said, but didn't comment more than that. However, what Hermione said did unsettle him a little. He pushed it to the back of his mind to ponder over at another time.

It wasn't long when another goblin came and took them to the exchange vaults via rather fast carts that rivalled some muggle roller-coasters in speed (Yahiko looked a little green by the end of it.), where they were each given a bag of money of varying sizes.

"Do you think we could go a little slower this time?" asked Yahiko to the goblin – a creature named Goldfarb – pleadingly.

"Sorry, it's a one speed only cart," Goldfarb said, although he didn't sound overly sorry to Kenshin.

Yahiko just turned green.

It wasn't long after that that they reached to entrance hall again, where they didn't have to wait overly long before the Weasleys, Sanosuke and Harry met them once more. The Weasley twins departed soon after with a friend of theirs from school – Lee Jordan – after Mrs Weasley gave them a stern warning to not set foot in Knockturn alley or else and that they would all meet in a book-shop called Flourish and Bolts in one hour. Percy disappeared into a stationary shop to look for a new quill, while Mrs Weasley and Ginny headed off into a second hand robe shop. Unfortunately for Hiko and the older Grangers, Mr Weasley insisted on taking them for a drink. Hiko managed to get out of it purely by glaring, but the Grangers, who had not got such a weapon in their arsenal, were helplessly dragged off.

"It's not like you to turn down a drink, Shishou," Kenshin said under his breath as he and Hiko followed the others down the alley.

"Normally, no. But even I could not enjoy my Sake with you baka friend's father talking my head off." Hiko said with a small side-glance at Kenshin and a smirk. "However, perhaps those Grangers will enjoy the experience so much more." Kenshin caught the look and shook his head, biting back a laugh.

An hour of looking round the shops and buying their Hogwarts supplies passed. Occasionally they bumped into one or two people along the way – Kaoru had to drag Yahiko out of Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke shop before Fred and George corrupted him. (Although that might have been out of a will to save herself from being pranked by the boy). They spotted Percy looking at some book with a name like Prefects Who Gained Power or something like that. ("'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out – he wants to be minister for magic." – Ron. "Go away!" – Percy.) Finally, they headed towards the wizarding bookshop – although it didn't look like they were the only ones. In fact, it looked like most of the female wizarding population was making their own way there too.

"What's going on?" asked Kaoru, looking confused. "Hey, watch it, buster!" she snapped when she was almost knocked over by a wizard who was trying to push forwards in the line.

Kenshin attempted to look over the crowd, but even on tiptoe he couldn't see a thing. He stopped when Hiko smirked at Kenshin's efforts. The boy blushed and stopped, fiddling with his sakabato's straps before Hiko could tease him about his short stature.

"Is that some type of banner?" asked Sanosuke, who could obviously see more, due to being taller than even Ron was. "What's it say?"

Thankfully, it seemed as though Hiko was in a good mood as he read it out to them:

"GILDEROY LOCKHART

Will be signing copies of his autobiography

MAGICAL ME

Today 12:30 – 4:30 PM"

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed excitedly, causing Sanosuke to wince and stick a finger in his ear. "I mean, he's written the whole booklist!"

Sanosuke just snorted. "Whats so good about a ponce like Lockhart?" he said to no-one in particular as they watched a rather irate looking shop-owner attempting to calm a group of hormonally challenged teenage girls who were attempting to push into the shop to get to see Lockhart. Hermione looked positively scandalised, giving him such a look as if he had suggested burning a book to ashes.

"Who's Lockhart anyway?" Yahiko added, sounding rather affronted that he didn't know, almost like a personal insult. Hermione's eyes widened even more. Now she looked like they had suggested to burn the whole Library down with it.

"Don't you read?" she gasped. "Gilderoy Lockhart has done thousands of things for the wizarding world. Like in his book, Break with a banshee, where he –"

"Lets just get inside, get the books and leave," Ron grumbled over Hermione's rant as they squeezed inside. "Whose idea was it to get all the books that guy ever wrote. I bet you that the new DADA teacher's a witch."

"Why do you think that?" Kaoru asked, a rather dangerous glint in her eye. Kenshin winced, hoping Ron wouldn't dig his grave any deeper than he already had. Thankfully, the youngest male Weasley was saved from answering when Hiko steered them all towards a rather long queue waiting for books to be signed, where a breathless Mrs Weasley was waiting. As they came close, they noticed she was slightly breathless and making a fuss of her hair, patting it into place. Next to her stood the rest of her sons, Ginny, Mr Weasley and the Grangers, the former looking rather fed up (minus Percy), while Ginny rolled her eyes at Kenshin, but blushed and turned away when she caught sight of Harry. Kenshin was really starting to wonder about the girl's odd behaviour.

"Oh, there you are, good," Mrs Weasley said when she spotted them. "We'll be able to see him soon."

As if on cue, a rather good looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes came into view, causing most of the female population to swoon on the spot. He sat down at the table in front, which was surrounded by large pictures of himself that winked cheekily at them and flashed dazzling smiles that almost blinded you because they were so white. The man himself was wearing forget-me-not blue robes that matched his eyes perfectly, while his pointed hat was perched on a jaunty angle on top of his fine hair.

"Is that Lockhart?" asked Hiko to Kenshin. He could hear a trace of annoyance in his voice – probably due to the crowds. Or was it what the guy looked like that offended him?

Kenshin shrugged. "I guess so…" he said slowly, although the first thing that came into his mind was an old Greek story – about the guy that fell in love with his own reflection.

Suddenly, a short, irritable man was dancing around trying to get lots of pictures of the man, his camera emitting puffs of multicoloured smoke with every blinding flash. Lockhart didn't seem to mind in the slightest. In fact, he was posing for the man.

"And he's meant to be a hero here?" Hiko said, his voice laced with contempt.

"…That's what I heard…" Kenshin said, unable to match the man Mrs Weasley had told him about with what his eyes were seeing.

"Then your world has got some very low standards for villains, Deshi."

For once, Kenshin wasn't sure he wanted to argue. As Lockhart continued to pose, he allowed himself to read the man's ki. Well, one thing was sure. The guy was either playing up his successes at best, or was an absolute fraud at worst. No way could someone with such a weak ki be able to grapple with Vampires and Werewolves. From what he had read, those creatures were some of the strongest known to wizard kind. Thus only the most talented or strongest of Wizards would have been able to tackle them. Someone with a ki like Lockhart's should have been pummelled at once.

The photographer pushed past Kenshin, causing him to oro loudly. "Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, trampling backwards in order to get a better shot, "this is for the Daily Prophet." The movement caused Ron to yelp in pain – he had trodden heavily on his foot.

"Big deal," Ron grumbled as he hopped up and down on one foot in order to rub away the pain.

"I think he heard you," Hiko said in slight amusement, when Lockhart looked up, his eyes fixing on Ron, who was muttering darkly under his breath – then he saw Harry. His eyes widened to the size of plates. Suddenly, he leapt to his feet, pointing at Harry and positively yelled, "It can't be Harry Potter!"

The whole room went silent, all turning to look at where Lockhart was pointing. Harry shrank back, looking like he wanted the earth to swallow him up on the spot. Suddenly, they began to whisper in excitement as Lockhart, who personally came himself, pulled Harry out of the crowd. Hiko snorted as a grimacing Harry was dragged to the front by a grinning Lockhart, while the Photographer was snapping photos at lightning speed, covering them all in smoke. Kenshin began choking loudly at once.

After a moment, Lockhart let go of Harry, who immediately tried to escape, but was caught by Lockhart throwing an arm over his shoulder, clamping him tightly to him. Kenshin winced in sympathy at the look on his face. He wondered if Harry was thinking along the lines of a fox caught in a trap – to gnaw of the trapped limb in order to escape. He certainly looked like the thought crossed his mind, that was for sure. Embarrassment, mortification and irritation were coming in waves from the kid.

Unknowing of the poor boy's predicament, Lockhart addressed the audience. "Ladies and Gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment it is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!"

"I think someone has taken your place as the greatest baka, Deshi," Hiko said to Kenshin loudly. Kenshin wasn't sure weather to take that as an insult to himself or not. However, Lockhart either didn't hear him or chose not to, as he continued.

"When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography – which I shall be happy to present to him free of charge – "

"Ahou," Hiko growled. Kenshin was sure the man looked like he was going to Ryushosen him thorough the roof.

"he had no idea," Lockhart continued, shaking Harry like a rag doll so that his glasses almost slipped off his nose. "That he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his fellow students will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

"NANI!" Kenshin exclaimed in horror. Harry looked as if he was going to keel over at the announcement, while Sanosuke and Ron stared at each other, aghast. Everyone else was cheering and clapping.

"Deshi."

"Hai shishou…?" Kenshin managed, despite his paralysis at the news.

"If he is going to be a teacher, that school of yours is doomed."

"Orororo…"

TBC

**_Chosha's notes_**

_Good god, that was a long chapter. Anyways, that's it for now. Sorry if Hiko didn't beat up Lockhart or anything, but I didn't have the hart to have Hiko attacked by rabid fan-girls. Still, there's gonna be a lot more Lockhart bashing to come. But anyway, what did you think of that. Was I a little OOC? Hm…well, you could blame it on being set in 1991-92 I guess, instead of 1877 (or was it 1878? Never mind.) But I still would like to know what you think. I wasn't sure where to end it, but on the note of how much Hiko likes Lockhart – yeah…right… - I though would be a good place to end it._

_Well, that out of the way, here's the Japanese translations list!_

_Jou-chan – Missy (Sano's nickname for Kaoru)_

_Chan – suffix meaning little or dear (in this case for teasing Yahiko, it's the dreaded 'little' word!)_

_Shishou – master (only used in ancient Kenjutsu and martial arts styles)_

_Deshi – student/ apprentice_

_Dojo – martial art's training hall._

_Baka – idiot_

_Ahou - fool_

_Well, that's that! Only one last thing to do!_

_Next time on RkatCoS_

_Harry escapes Lockhart's clutches (or now), but now they've bumped into the last two people they wanted to see. Next episode: Malfoy Madness._

_But, 'til next time, Ja ne!_

_Chosha Kurenai xXx_


End file.
